Nicotine is a powerful stimulant that produces a euphoric feeling with early use, compelling many people to keep reaching for a smoke or two.

The main folly of nicotine is that it’s addictive. Over time, the euphoric feeling becomes a thing of the past and the body’s craving for the addictive chemical takes over.

It’s well-known that smoking makes you susceptible to countless health issues and quitting the habit is a very difficult challenge.

Nicotine is found in e-cigarettes as well as traditional cigarettes, cigars and chewing tobacco. Getting the substance out of your body is key to successfully breaking the addiction.

Nicotine & Health

Tobacco consumption accounts for about 6 million deaths per year, and current trends indicate that it may escalate to an annual death rate of 8 million by 2030, according to the World Health Organization.

Nicotine is linked to many life-threatening health issues, including various types of cancer.

The substance not only causes lung cancer but is also a leading cause of treatment failure and low survival rates in patients, according to a 2013 study published in the Journal of Carcinogenesis.

It increases the risk of gastrointestinal cancers in long-term smokers, according to a 2012 study published in Translational Gastrointestinal Cancers.

Nicotine also interacts with certain receptor proteins in the body to promote breast cancer cell-development in smokers, according to a 2011 study published in Breast Cancer Research.

Furthermore, nicotine reduces blood flow to the coronary vessels responsible for delivering oxygen-rich blood to the heart. This is a major cause of heart disease in smokers.

Nicotine abuse may also cause certain eye diseases, autoimmune diseases (like rheumatoid arthritis), tuberculosis and chronic kidney disease.

It can cause erectile dysfunction in men and irregular menstruation and infertility in women. In pregnant women, it can have adverse effects on the fetus.

Nicotine Retention in the Body

A saliva test is the most accurate test to determine how long nicotine stays in the body. On average, nicotine stays in the blood for at least 10 hours and up to 2 to 4 days.

The length of time varies depending on the amount of tobacco smoked, the number of years smoking tobacco, and the person’s age and overall health.

Nicotine Detoxification – The Natural Way

Detoxifying your body of nicotine will help you break your addiction and reduce your risk of contracting fatal diseases, improve your lung capacity and boost your overall respiratory health.

Here are some natural ways you can flush nicotine out of your body.

1. Ease Into Quitting

One of the biggest mistakes smokers make when trying to quit is going “cold turkey”.

Giving up a long-term addiction all at once might prove counterproductive, as it will induce cravings that only intensify with time. When this happens, you run a risk of reaching a breaking point and resuming your old habit.

Therefore, you are better advised to taper the quantity of cigarettes that you smoke. If you cut back by half every few hours, you should be on your way to finally eliminating nicotine from your system.

2. Drink Plenty of Water

The first step in any detoxification effort is getting your daily water fix.

Although the amount of water you must consume depends on your health, climatic conditions, and how active you are, most people should drink 8 glasses (64 ounces) of water daily.

One of the major ways your body flushes out nicotine is through urine, and what is a better diuretic than water itself? Drinking more water increases urination, thereby speeding up the elimination of nicotine.

Keep in mind, this only works when you resolve to actively limit, and ultimately quit, smoking.

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Skin Protects Us

The skin, along with hair and nails, is the protective covering of the body. In addition, the skin prevents germs from entering the body and damaging internal organs. Skin supports the life of all other body parts and plays a role in maintaining the immune system.

Skin also helps to regulate body temperature through the sweat glands. When the body becomes overheated, sweat glands give off moisture (perspiration), which cools the body as it evaporates. As the body part responsible for the sense of touch, the skin works with the nervous system to alert the body to potential dangers by detecting pressure, pain, heat, and cold.

When exposed to the sun's ultraviolet rays, the skin manufactures Vitamin D, an essential vitamin for healthy skin. Vitamin D promotes the body's absorption of calcium, which is essential for the normal development of healthy teeth and bones.

Skin: The Body's Largest Organ

Skin is the largest organ of the body. It consists of three layers of tissues: the epidermis, the dermis and the subcutaneous layer. The epidermis is the paper-thin outer layer of the skin. The outer layer of the epidermis consists of dead cells that are always flaking or washing off. These are replaced by new cells manufactured in the lower portion of the epidermis, which move upward to the outside of the skin. As they do so, the cells harden and die. This cycle of cell production and replacement takes about 28 days.

The structure of skin

The epidermis also contains melanocytes, the cells that contain melanin — the pigment that gives skin its color. Skin color is determined by the amount of melanin in these cells, not cell number. The more melanin, the darker the skin.

The dermis, the middle layer of the skin, contains blood vessels, nerves, hair follicles, sweat glands and oil glands. It makes up about 90 percent of the skin's thickness and is made up of collagen and elastic fibers that give the skin strength and elasticity.

The subcutaneous layer, the deepest layer of skin, is mostly composed of fatty tissue. It also contains blood vessels and nerves. The fat insulates the body from extreme heat and cold and provides a cushion to protect the body from injuries.

Hair & Nails Protect Us, Too

Hair and nails also protect the body. Hair keeps the head warm, while eyebrows and eyelashes protect the eyes from direct light. Hair also serves as a barrier to keep dirt from entering the eyes and nose. It is made up of keratin, a type of non-living protein made by living skin cells. Hair grows out from hair follicles.

Nails are protective structures made of hard keratin, a type of non-living protein made by living skin cells. Their job is to protect the sensitive area of the toes and fingers and to give the fingers and hands a grasping function. Nail cells form at the base of the nail in an area called the nail matrix (the lighter "half moon" on our fingernails).

The Importance of Making Healthy Choices

Your skin reveals to the world how healthy you are - and how old you are. Positive lifestyle behaviors keep you healthy and your skin looking younger. The following lifestyle behaviors can impact the skin:

Alcohol Body Piercing Exercise Hair Products Hygiene

Nails & Manicures Nutrition & Water Perspiration Seeing Your Dermatologist Smoking

Stress Sun Safety & Indoor Tanning Tattoos

Alcohol

Drinking alcohol enlarges a person's blood vessels, which can temporarily redden or flush the cheeks. When blood vessels are severely damaged by chronic drinking, the palms and soles also become reddened.

Chronic drinkers develop larger oil glands and blood vessels. This process results in the enlargement of the skin's pores, particularly of the nose and chin. Chronic drinking can cause liver disease, including cirrhosis, which changes the skin color to yellow.

Body Piercing

Much of the same advice about tattooing applies to body piercing. Infection is possible if the piercer does not follow proper health procedures, such as washing hands, wearing gloves, disinfecting surfaces, and using a new sterile needle. Infection is also possible if the individual does not care for the hole properly. About 15% of the population is allergic to nickel, a material common in body jewelry. These people may experience rashes as a result of exposure to the metal.

Depending on where jewelry is placed, body piercings can cause problems with speech, eating, hearing and other body functions. For example, body jewelry can be torn out during contact sports. Dentists are particularly concerned about the dangers of tongue piercings. Among the things that can go wrong as a result of tongue piercings are swelling of the tongue that can interfere with breathing, cracked teeth, choking on loosened or unscrewed jewelry, and infection with hepatitis, HIV or bacteria.

Exercise

Exercise contributes to weight maintenance, which helps maintain the smooth appearance of the skin. However, some forms of exercise can also damage the skin. For example, weightlifting to increase muscle size can produce "stretch marks" because of breaks within the connective tissue of the dermis. When a person loses weight too rapidly, his or her existing stretch marks will grow.

Exercise also increases sweating and skin temperature. Infections caused by bacteria and/or fungi may occur if proper hygiene is not performed after exercise. In addition, some clothes and shoes used while exercising can lead to blisters on the hands, feet or body.

Hair Products

Some hair dyes can cause allergic reactions. Be sure to test the dye on a small area of your skin (behind the ear or inside the elbow) and wait 48-72 hours before making a change in your hair color with these products.

Permanent waves can damage the hair, so take care not to perm your hair more often than every three months. If the perming solution is left on too long, is too strong or is applied to hair already damaged by dyes, the hair could break and the scalp could become irritated. Frequent tight braiding or tight ponytails, as well as hair straightening agents, flat irons, curling irons, and hot rollers, can also cause hair loss or broken hair.

Hygiene

Hygiene impacts the health of the skin. A basic hygiene routine includes washing the face in the morning and before bed with soap/cleanser, warm water and a clean wash cloth, taking a shower or bath daily using warm water, soap and a clean wash cloth, cleaning nails, and washing hair regularly (e.g., every 2-3 days).

Nails & Manicures

If you manicure your own nails, be careful not to cut, remove or injure nail cuticles. Their job is to prevent infection and protect nail-forming cells.

Nail polish and nail glue can cause allergic reactions. Use a polish that is labeled "hypoallergenic" and nail polish remover that is acetone-free.

Sculptured nails - those that are custom-made to fit permanently over your natural nails - can cause severe and painful reactions. Doctors recommend that people who wear artificial nails take them off every three months to allow their natural nails to breathe.

Nutrition & Water

Eating a well-balanced diet helps insure that your body gets all the vitamins it needs to maintain healthy skin. The following nutrients help the life of your skin:

• Vitamin A - Helps maintain healthy, smooth skin and hair
• Riboflavin (B1) - Helps prevent skin disorders, especially around the nose, lips and mouth
• Niacin (B3) - Helps prevent skin disorders, especially on parts of the body exposed to the sun
• Vitamin B6 - Helps prevent skin disorders and cracks around the mouth
• Vitamin C - Helps in healing of skin
• Vitamin D - Helps keep skin healthy. (This "sunshine vitamin" is also manufactured by the skin with the help of sunlight.)
• Water is the most important nutrient we consume. The human body is anywhere from 55 to 75 percent water. Without water, we could not survive. It is recommended that people drink 8 glasses of water a day.

Perspiration

Through the skin's process of sweating, the water we drink helps to cool our bodies in warm weather. When the body gets too warm, water seeps out through the sweat pores of the skin. Sweat evaporates from our skin using heat from the body to turn the liquid into vapor. It is harder for the sweat to evaporate quickly on a humid day, which is why we feel warmer than we do on a dry day at the same temperature.

Smoking

Smokers have more wrinkles around their eyes and mouths, especially since they're continually tightening their lips around cigarettes. Tobacco and cigarettes can cause the skin to turn an unhealthy, unnatural color.

Smoking and chewing tobacco can also hurt the skin through the development of lip cancer, mouth cancer and/or emphysema. When emphysema in the lungs causes shortness of breath, the skin may turn bluer due to lack of oxygen.

Stress

Stress plays a role in skin care, especially because many habits associated with stress hurt the skin. For example, lip biting can tear and damage skin. Rubbing and scratching the skin can cause a skin condition called dermatitis. Picking at the cuticle skin around your nails can also produce infection. Additionally, if you shower with very hot water to relieve stress, your skin may become dry and itchy. Stress can also play a role in the development of various skin ailments.

Sun Safety & Indoor Tanning

Limiting your exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation while protecting your skin is the single most important thing you can do to maintain healthy skin. Please click here to visit our Sun Safety & Indoor Tanning page.

Tattoos

Tattooing has been performed as a decorative art form since ancient times. Today, it is growing in popularity and is also being used as a form of permanent make-up.

Tattooing involves injecting dyes into the skin with multiple injections from one or more needles. It can take several hours to complete a tattoo and the procedure may be painful. It may also cause some bleeding. It takes about 7 to 10 days for the tattoo to heal.

Tattooing received a bad reputation in the past due to tattoo artists who neglected health and safety concerns. This resulted in outbreaks of infectious diseases and banning of the practice in some states and localities.

The two biggest risks in getting a tattoo are allergic responses to the dyes and exposure to bloodborne pathogens. The dyes are made from chemical compounds ranging from metal oxides to synthetic organic dyes. The most common infectious diseases associated with tattoos are atypical mycobacteria and hepatitis B, although hepatitis C and HIV are also possible. Proper disinfection and sterilization procedures must be followed. Someone thinking of getting a tattoo should check with the state or local health department to see which regulations exist in the area, such as a requirement that only new sterile needles be used. Also, check to see if the tattooist has been certified by the Alliance for Professional Tattooists.

Dermatologists report that over 50% of the people who get tattoos eventually seek to have them removed, usually after they have entered the work world. Although tattoos can be removed, the process is very expensive and painful. It may take several months and could result in scarring.

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Definition

Foul-smelling breath, usually caused by the breakdown of food. Other culprits include poor dental hygiene, dry mouth, disease, infection, tobacco use and severe dieting.

Causes

Most bad breath starts in your mouth, and there are many possible causes that include:

• Food particles from stinky foods like garlic and onions
• Smoking
• Respiratory Infections
• Acid Reflux
• Poor Oral Hygiene

Bad breath is an embarrassing issue that can hamper your social life. It is encouraging to know that the problem can often be improved through the consistent use of good oral care along with avoiding the beverages and foods that make it worse. Other bad breath remedies, such as chewing on certain herbs and spices, staying hydrated and abstaining from tobacco, can also make a difference. Knowing what practices help and what practices hurt can enable you to attack the problem head on.

1. Brush Regularly

Brushing removes the sticky film of bacteria from your teeth and gums that can cause bad breath, so do this at least twice a day. Since some odors can be eliminated immediately after a meal, keep a toothbrush at your workplace. Buy a new toothbrush every three or four months, choosing one that has soft bristles. Use a toothpaste such as Colgate® MaxFresh® that removes odor-causing bacteria.

2. Clean Your Tongue

The tongue is often overlooked in oral care, but it can harbor plaque and tiny bits of food. When you brush your teeth, gently sweep the brush across the tongue to remove food and bacteria that can lead to bad breath. If you have a coated tongue, you could benefit from a tongue scraper.

3. Floss Once a Day

Don't forget to floss. Doing this at least once a day will get rid of plaque hiding between the teeth. Flossing is as important as brushing because tiny food particles can become trapped in these areas.

4. Clean Your Dentures and Retainers

Proper oral care includes maintaining the cleanliness of anything within your mouth. Remove your dentures at night and brush them with a dental cleanser. If you use a dental retainer, clean it each time before putting it back in your mouth.

5. Avoid Certain Beverages

Some beverages can cause breath odor. According to Prevention magazine, they include coffee and alcoholic drinks, such as beer, wine and whiskey. They leave behind a residue that sticks to the plaque in your mouth, so each breath you take spews these smells back into the air.

6. Be Aware of Odorous Foods

The odor from strong-tasting cheeses, such as Camembert, Roquefort and blue cheese, can remain in your mouth. Essential oils from garlic, onions and hot peppers can also linger for some time after a meal. Avoiding garlic and onions isn't the greatest option, however, because they are healthy foods, so check the following tip to help alleviate this problem.

7. Use Natural Breath-Fresheners

Some herbs and spices in your kitchen can freshen your breath. Parsley contains chlorophyll, which is a natural deodorizer. Drinking a cup of mint tea or chewing on mint leaves can also help. Another tip is to carry a bag of cloves, anise seeds or fennel to chew on after eating an odor-causing meal.

8. Avoid a Dry Mouth

A dry mouth can cause bad breath, so stay hydrated. You can do this by drinking plenty of water while avoiding soft drinks, coffee and alcohol, all of which dry the mouth. In cases of severe dry mouth, a dentist may prescribe artificial saliva.

9. Don't Smoke or Chew Tobacco

Aside from being harmful to health in many ways, smoking and chewing tobacco can contribute to bad breath. The unpleasant scent of these products remains in the mouth after use. It's best to avoid them completely.

10. Get Regular Dental Cleanings and Checkups

Make appointments for regular dental cleanings and checkups. Discuss your bad breath with your dentist so that he or she can determine whether your issue stems from an oral cause, is a side effect of your medications or is due to a general health condition. When the cause is not due to an issue within your mouth, you may have to consult your doctor.

If you try these bad breath remedies, especially those that contribute to good oral care, the issue will likely improve. They are all easy to practice and can help you overcome bad breath.

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• Scientists used a DNA-snipping enzyme called Cas9 to cut out the virus
• The cell's gene repair machinery then takes over, soldering the loose ends of the genome back together – resulting in a virus-free cell 
• Process could also be a cure for other latent infections, researchers say
• 'It's an exciting discovery, but not ready to go into the clinic,' said Dr Khalili

Once HIV conquers a human cell, it will stay there forever.

It inserts its deadly genome permanently into its victims' DNA, forcing them to require medical treatment for the rest of their life.

But now, for the first time, researchers in Philadelphia have found a way to completely delete HIV from human cells by ‘snipping’ them out.

For the first time, researchers in Philadelphia have found a way to completely delete the HIV virus (pictured) from human cells by ‘snipping’ them out. The process could also provide a cure for other latent infections

The team of Temple University School of Medicine said the breakthrough marks the first successful attempt to eliminate latent HIV-1 virus from human cells – and could be a cure for other latent infections.

‘This is one important step on the path toward a permanent cure for AIDS,' said Kamel Khalili, PhD, Professor and Chair of the Department of Neuroscience at Temple.

'It's an exciting discovery, but it's not yet ready to go into the clinic. It's a proof of concept that we're moving in the right direction,' he added,

In a study published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Dr Khalili and colleagues detail how they created molecular tools to delete the HIV-1 proviral DNA.

HOW THE PROCESS WORKS 

Researchers based the two-part HIV-1 editor on a system that evolved as a bacterial defence mechanism to protect against infection. 

When deployed, a combination of a DNA-snipping enzyme called a nuclease and a targeting strand of RNA called a guide RNA (gRNA) hunt down the viral genome and remove the HIV-1 DNA. 

Dr Khalili's lab engineered a 20-nucleotide strand of gRNA to target the HIV-1 DNA and paired it with a DNA-sniping enzyme called Cas9 and used to edit the human genome.

From there, the cell's gene repair machinery takes over, soldering the loose ends of the genome back together – resulting in virus-free cells. 

When deployed, a combination of a DNA-snipping enzyme called a nuclease and a targeting strand of RNA called a guide RNA (gRNA) hunt down the viral genome and remove the HIV-1 DNA.

From there, the cell's gene repair machinery takes over, soldering the loose ends of the genome back together – resulting in virus-free cells.

'Since HIV-1 is never cleared by the immune system, removal of the virus is required in order to cure the disease,' explained Dr Khalili.

These molecular tools also hold promise as a therapeutic vaccine; cells armed with the nuclease-RNA combination proved impervious to HIV infection.

Worldwide, more than 33 million people have HIV, including more than 1 million in the United States.

Every year, another 50,000 Americans contract the virus, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the UK, around 100,000 people were living with HIV in the UK in 2013. That’s around one person in 665.

Although highly active antiretroviral therapy (Haart) has controlled HIV-1 for infected people in the developed world over the last 15 years, the virus can rage again with any interruption in treatment.

Worldwide, more than 33 million people have HIV, including more than 1 million in the United States. ‘This is one important step on the path toward a permanent cure for AIDS,' said Kamel Khalili, PhD, Professor and Chair of the Department of Neuroscience at Temple

'The low level replication of HIV-1 makes patients more likely to suffer from diseases usually associated with ageing,' Dr Khalili said.

These include cardiomyopathy – a weakening of the heart muscle – bone disease, kidney disease, and neurocognitive disorders.

'These problems are often exacerbated by the toxic drugs that must be taken to control the virus,' Dr Khalili added.

Researchers based the two-part HIV-1 editor on a system that evolved as a bacterial defence mechanism to protect against infection.

Dr Khalili's lab engineered a 20-nucleotide strand of gRNA to target the HIV-1 DNA and paired it with a DNA-sniping enzyme called Cas9 and used to edit the human genome.

'We are working on a number of strategies so we can take the construct into preclinical studies,' Dr Khalili said.

'We want to eradicate every single copy of HIV-1 from the patient. That will cure AIDS. I think this technology is the way we can do it.'

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The world of HIV prevention changed last week when it was announced that a recent National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded study was stopped early when it was determined that the risk of HIV transmission is 95 percent less if the person with HIV is on treatment and has his/her viral load (the amount of virus present in blood) completely suppressed than if they are not on antiretroviral therapy.

The study, carried out by the HIV Prevention Trials Network and designated HPTN 052, started in 2005 and involved 1,763 couples, 95 percent of whom were heterosexual, in which one partner had HIV and the other did not. Subjects were enrolled at 13 sites across the Americas, Asia and Africa. All HIV-infected participants had CD4 counts between 350 and 550/mm3 at enrollment and had not yet taken anti-HIV therapy. (CD4 count is the number of CD4, or T-helper lymphocytes, from a blood sample.) One group of study participants received anti-HIV drugs at the time of enrollment; the other, comparison group did not. Over the course of the study 28 partners of study participants acquired HIV — only one partner in the group receiving treatment and 27 in the group who were not on therapy.

While the HPTN 052 study did not include large numbers of persons with same sex partners, it is an important demonstration of principle, and it seems likely that substantial protection against transmission would occur in same-sex couples. The study results support the decision to start anti-HIV therapy in persons with CD4 counts higher than currently recommended, and serve to re-enforce the message stated again and again on the MedHelp forums and communities that it is important to ask partners if they have HIV and, if they have HIV, whether they are on effective therapy, before initiating sexual activity. While a 95 percent reduction is not the same as the virtually complete reduction of risk when condoms are used consistently and correctly and remain intact throughout the sex act, it is an important, newly recognized element of HIV prevention that has been proved now through rigorous scientific study.

Previous research had suggested that HIV infected persons on treatment were less likely to infect their sex partners. However, HPTN 052 studied much larger numbers of patients and was a randomized controlled trial, the most powerful kind of research design. In addition, the finding of 95 percent protection was a surprise to the researchers. In designing the study, they counted on a substantially lower level of protection. This is why they anticipated continuing to follow the research subjects and their partners through 2015; it was thought it might take that long to accurately measure a difference in transmission risk between those taking anti-HIV treatment and the untreated control couples. That the protection was so good that the trial could be stopped 4 years ahead of schedule was a very pleasant surprise to the investigators, as well as to other HIV prevention experts.

What This Means for You

For HIV infected persons, the results mean that antiviral treatment not only improves health and survival but goes a long way in preventing sexual transmission of the virus to uninfected partners. But there also is an important "take-home" message for sexually active persons without HIV: if a person's sex partner has HIV and is taking anti-HIV therapy, the chance of sexual transmission is much lower than it otherwise would be. This is especially so if the infected person has a low viral load, meaning they have small amounts of HIV in their blood, or none at all. Of course it remains wise to discuss mutual HIV status prior to sex with a new partner and avoid vaginal or anal sex with partners known to have HIV, and to use condoms routinely for vaginal or anal sex outside mutually monogamous relationships. But these very important research results should help reassure persons who, after an exposure, learn their partners have HIV but are on treatment for it.

In the future, we can anticipate additional helpful research outcomes from HPTN 052. Since the inception of MedHelp's HIV Prevention forum and Sexually Transmitted Disease forum, and more recently the HIV - International forum, one of the most common questions we field regards the probability of catching HIV after a sexual exposure. The available data are imprecise. We often quote figures like 1 chance in 1,000 to 2,000 for transmission by a single, unprotected vaginal sex exposure, if one partner is infected. Such data, which have been published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), are rough estimates at best, because they are based primarily on people's recollections of sexual exposures in the months and years before they tested positive. In HPTN 052, the research subjects were asked to keep careful records of their sexual exposures. Analysis of these data should give more precise estimates of transmission risk for vaginal intercourse. Whether there was sufficient frequency of oral or anal sex for accurate calculation remains to be seen — but perhaps we will have improved information for those practices as well.

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HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It weakens a person’s immune system by destroying important cells that fight disease and infection. No effective cure exists for HIV. But with proper medical care, HIV can be controlled. Some groups of people in the United States are more likely to get HIV than others because of many factors, including their sex partners, their risk behaviors, and where they live. This section will give you basic information about HIV, such as how it’s transmitted, how you can prevent it, and how to get tested for HIV.

About HIV/AIDS

HIV is a virus spread through body fluids that affects specific cells of the immune system, called CD4 cells, or T cells. Over time, HIV can destroy so many of these cells that the body can’t fight off infections and disease. When this happens, HIV infection leads to AIDS. Learn more about the stages of HIV and how to tell whether you’re infected.

What is HIV? collapsed

HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It is the virus that can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS. Unlike some other viruses, the human body cannot get rid of HIV. That means that once you have HIV, you have it for life.

No safe and effective cure currently exists, but scientists are working hard to find one, and remain hopeful. Meanwhile, with proper medical care, HIV can be controlled. Treatment for HIV is often called antiretroviral therapy or ART. It can dramatically prolong the lives of many people infected with HIV and lower their chance of infecting others. Before the introduction of ART in the mid-1990s, people with HIV could progress to AIDS in just a few years. Today, someone diagnosed with HIV and treated before the disease is far advanced can have a nearly normal life expectancy.

HIV affects specific cells of the immune system, called CD4 cells, or T cells. Over time, HIV can destroy so many of these cells that the body can’t fight off infections and disease. When this happens, HIV infection leads to AIDS.

Where did HIV come from? collapsed

Scientists identified a type of chimpanzee in West Africa as the source of HIV infection in humans. They believe that the chimpanzee version of the immunodeficiency virus (called simian immunodeficiency virus, or SIV) most likely was transmitted to humans and mutated into HIV when humans hunted these chimpanzees for meat and came into contact with their infected blood. Studies show that HIV may have jumped from apes to humans as far back as the late 1800s. Over decades, the virus slowly spread across Africa and later into other parts of the world. We know that the virus has existed in the United States since at least the mid- to late 1970s.

What are the stages of HIV? collapsed

HIV disease has a well-documented progression. Untreated, HIV is almost universally fatal because it eventually overwhelms the immune system—resulting in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). HIV treatment helps people at all stages of the disease, and treatment can slow or prevent progression from one stage to the next.

A person can transmit HIV to others during any of these stages:

Acute infection: Within 2 to 4 weeks after infection with HIV, you may feel sick with flu-like symptoms. This is called acute retroviral syndrome (ARS) or primary HIV infection, and it’s the body’s natural response to the HIV infection. (Not everyone develops ARS, however—and some people may have no symptoms.)

During this period of infection, large amounts of HIV are being produced in your body. The virus uses important immune system cells called CD4 cells to make copies of itself and destroys these cells in the process. Because of this, the CD4 count can fall quickly.

Your ability to spread HIV is highest during this stage because the amount of virus in the blood is very high.

Eventually, your immune response will begin to bring the amount of virus in your body back down to a stable level. At this point, your CD4 count will then begin to increase, but it may not return to pre-infection levels.

Clinical latency (inactivity or dormancy): This period is sometimes called asymptomatic HIV infection or chronic HIV infection. During this phase, HIV is still active, but reproduces at very low levels. You may not have any symptoms or get sick during this time. People who are on antiretroviral therapy (ART) may live with clinical latency for several decades. For people who are not on ART, this period can last up to a decade, but some may progress through this phase faster. It is important to remember that you are still able to transmit HIV to others during this phase even if you are treated with ART, although ART greatly reduces the risk. Toward the middle and end of this period, your viral load begins to rise and your CD4 cell count begins to drop. As this happens, you may begin to have symptoms of HIV infection as your immune system becomes too weak to protect you .

AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome): This is the stage of infection that occurs when your immune system is badly damaged and you become vulnerable to infections and infection-related cancers called opportunistic illnesses. When the number of your CD4 cells falls below 200 cells per cubic millimeter of blood (200 cells/mm3), you are considered to have progressed to AIDS. (Normal CD4 counts are between 500 and 1,600 cells/mm3.) You can also be diagnosed with AIDS if you develop one or more opportunistic illnesses, regardless of your CD4 count. Without treatment, people who are diagnosed with AIDS typically survive about 3 years. Once someone has a dangerous opportunistic illness, life expectancy without treatment falls to about 1 year. People with AIDS need medical treatment to prevent death.

How can I tell if I’m infected with HIV? collapsed

The only way to know if you are infected with HIV is to be tested. You cannot rely on symptoms to know whether you have HIV. Many people who are infected with HIV do not have any symptoms at all for 10 years or more. Some people who are infected with HIV report having flu-like symptoms (often described as “the worst flu ever”) 2 to 4 weeks after exposure. Symptoms can include:

• Fever
• Enlarged lymph nodes
• Sore throat
• Rash

These symptoms can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks. During this time, HIV infection may not show up on an HIV test, but people who have it are highly infectious and can spread the infection to others.

However, you should not assume you have HIV if you have any of these symptoms. Each of these symptoms can be caused by other illnesses. Again, the only way to determine whether you are infected is to be tested for HIV infection. For information on where to find an HIV testing site,

• Visit National HIV and STD Testing Resources and enter your ZIP code.
• Text your ZIP code to KNOWIT (566948), and you will receive a text back with a testing site near you.
• Call 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636) to ask for free testing sites in your area.

These resources are confidential. You can also ask your health care provider to give you an HIV test.

Two types of home testing kits are available in most drugstores or pharmacies: one involves pricking your finger for a blood sample, sending the sample to a laboratory, then phoning in for results. The other involves getting a swab of fluid from your mouth, using the kit to test it, and reading the results in 20 minutes. Confidential counseling and referrals for treatment are available with both kinds of home tests.

If you test positive for HIV, you should see your doctor as soon as possible to begin treatment.

Is there a cure for HIV? collapsed

For most people, the answer is no. Most reports of a cure involve HIV-infected people who needed treatment for a cancer that would have killed them otherwise. But these treatments are very risky, even life-threatening, and are used only when the HIV-infected people would have died without them. Antiretroviral therapy (ART), however, can dramatically prolong the lives of many people infected with HIV and lower their chance of infecting others. It is important that people get tested for HIV and know that they are infected early so that medical care and treatment have the greatest effect.

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What is trichomoniasis?

Trichomoniasis (or “trich”) is a very common sexually transmitted disease (STD) that is caused by infection with a protozoan parasite called Trichomonas vaginalis. Although symptoms of the disease vary, most women and men who have the parasite cannot tell they are infected.

How common is trichomoniasis?

Trichomoniasis is considered the most common curable STD. In the United States, an estimated 3.7 million people have the infection, but only about 30% develop any symptoms of trichomoniasis. Infection is more common in women than in men, and older women are more likely than younger women to have been infected.

Two Trichomonas vaginalis parasites, magnified (seen under a microscope)

How do people get trichomoniasis?

The parasite is passed from an infected person to an uninfected person during sex. In women, the most commonly infected part of the body is the lower genital tract (vulva, vagina, or urethra), and in men, the most commonly infected body part is the inside of the penis (urethra). During sex, the parasite is usually transmitted from a penis to a vagina, or from a vagina to a penis, but it can also be passed from a vagina to another vagina. It is not common for the parasite to infect other body parts, like the hands, mouth, or anus. It is unclear why some people with the infection get symptoms while others do not, but it probably depends on factors like the person’s age and overall health. Infected people without symptoms can still pass the infection on to others.

What are the signs and symptoms of trichomoniasis?

About 70% of infected people do not have any signs or symptoms. When trichomoniasis does cause symptoms, they can range from mild irritation to severe inflammation. Some people with symptoms get them within 5 to 28 days after being infected, but others do not develop symptoms until much later. Symptoms can come and go.

Men with trichomoniasis may feel itching or irritation inside the penis, burning after urination or ejaculation, or some discharge from the penis.

Women with trichomoniasis may notice itching, burning, redness or soreness of the genitals, discomfort with urination, or a thin discharge with an unusual smell that can be clear, white, yellowish, or greenish.

Having trichomoniasis can make it feel unpleasant to have sex. Without treatment, the infection can last for months or even years.
 

STDs & Pregnancy

What are the complications of trichomoniasis?

Trichomoniasis can increase the risk of getting or spreading other sexually transmitted infections. For example, trichomoniasis can cause genital inflammation that makes it easier to get infected with the HIV virus, or to pass the HIV virus on to a sex partner.

How does trichomoniasis affect a pregnant woman and her baby?

Pregnant women with trichomoniasis are more likely to have their babies too early (preterm delivery). Also, babies born to infected mothers are more likely to have an officially low birth weight (less than 5.5 pounds).

How is trichomoniasis diagnosed?

It is not possible to diagnose trichomoniasis based on symptoms alone. For both men and women, your primary care doctor or another trusted health care provider must do a check and a laboratory test to diagnose trichomoniasis.

What is the treatment for trichomoniasis?

Trichomoniasis can be cured with a single dose of prescription antibiotic medication (either metronidazole or tinidazole), pills which can be taken by mouth. It is okay for pregnant women to take this medication. Some people who drink alcohol within 24 hours after taking this kind of antibiotic can have uncomfortable side effects.

People who have been treated for trichomoniasis can get it again. About 1 in 5 people get infected again within 3 months after treatment. To avoid getting reinfected, make sure that all of your sex partners get treated too, and wait to have sex again until all of your symptoms go away (about a week). Get checked again if your symptoms come back.

How can trichomoniasis be prevented?

Using latex condoms correctly every time you have sex will help reduce the risk of getting or spreading trichomoniasis. However, condoms don’t cover everything, and it is possible to get or spread this infection even when using a condom.

The only sure way to prevent sexually transmitted infections is to avoid having sex entirely. Another approach is to talk about these kinds of infections before you have sex with a new partner, so that you can make informed choices about the level of risk you are comfortable taking with your sex life.

If you or someone you know has questions about trichomoniasis or any other STD, especially with symptoms like unusual discharge, burning during urination, or a sore in the genital area, check in with a health care provider and get some answers.

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