THE TIMOTHY RAY BROWN EXPERIENCE. . .

Popularly known as the Berlin patient, he is the only person said to have been "cured" of HIV/AIDS.

Originally from Seattle, Washington, a translator of German, of medium height and very skinny, with thinning brown hair.

Timothy found out he had HIV in 1995. He had HIV for 12 years before he became the first person in the world to be cured of the infection following a stem cell transplant in 2007.

Timothy Ray Brown, was first described in 2008 following a poster presented at the 2008 annual Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in Boston by Dr. Gero Hütter, Timothy's physician.

TIMOTHY'S ORDEAL AND BREAKTHROUGH

Timothy discovered he had HIV after getting to know that his former partner was infected with HIV. After going for the test, he also turned up positive.

MEET TIMOTHY RAY BROWN: WORLD'S ONLY PERSON TO BE "CURED" OF #HIV

Timothy found out he had HIV in 1995. He had HIV for 12 years before he became the first person in the world to be cured of the infection following a stem cell transplant in 2007.

Since the first diagnosis, about 34 years ago, HIV has infected more than 60 million people, around 30 million of whom have died. For another 5 million, anti-retroviral therapy has made their infection a manageable though still chronic condition.

The International AIDS Conference, a biannual event, that sees more than 25,000 doctors, scientists, AIDS activists, politicians, philanthropists, drug company representatives, people living with HIV and heads of state from around the world, for the past few years have centred on the following things: research on how to prevent HIV infection, treatment as prevention and, also, about a "cure."

Even an international working group of more than 300 researchers have been set aside working to developing a road map of sorts, outlining priorities for finding a cure for the disease that has claimed approximately 30 million lives worldwide.

KNOW YOUR CD4 COUNT

CD4 COUNT 

In the treatments of patients with HIV or AIDS, the first or one of the major tests the doctor request the patient to do is the CD4 count test.

CD4 COUNT; What is it?

CD4 count is a lab test that measures the number of CD4 T-lymphocytes (CD4 Cells) in a sample of blood.

In people with HIV, it is the most important laboratory indicator of how well the immune system is working and the strongest predictor of HIV progression.

To understand why it's important, it is helpful to know what CD4 cells are. . .

WHAT ARE CD4 CELLS?

CD4 cells are a type of white blood cells that fight infections. Another name for them is T-helper cells.

CD4 cells are made in the spleen, lymph nodes, and thymus gland, which are part of the lymph or infection-fighting system. CD4 cells move throughout the body, helping to identify and destroy germs such as bacteria and viruses.

HIV/AIDS AND OPPORTUNISTIC INFECTIONS

The reason people are advised to go for early check-up, and even after testing positive to HIV, are asked to begin treatments (antiretroviral therapy) as soon as possible is to shut the doors on "opportunistic infections".

Opportunistic infections in this context are like scavengers, who only prey on weakened or about-to-die preys.

Opportunistic infections are infections caused either by bacterial, viral, fungal, or protozoan pathogens that take advantage of a host with a weakened immune system (caused by HIV infection) or an altered microbiota (such as a disrupted gut flora).

Antiretroviral therapy is all about managing HIV infection, and preventing the body from opportunistic infections, which in the end, leads to AIDS.

Most life-threatening opportunistic infections occur when the person’s CD4 count is very low (below 200 cells/mm).

HOW HIV/AIDS KILLS. . .

                                     

The HIV/AIDS is a very deadly disease, this is a known fact, but there remains something that's still unknown to quite a good number of people, and that is how HIV/AIDS kill.

Have you ever wondered how HIV/AIDS kill?

Okay, let me go over this again, with a little addition. . .

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infects cells of the immune system, destroying or impairing their function. Infection with this virus results in progressive deterioration of the immune system, leading to "immune deficiency."

The immune system is considered deficient when it can no longer fulfill its role of fighting infection and disease.

To make you understand this better. . .

In our bodies, there are many harmful micro-organisms, germs, bacteria, protozoa, fungi, and viruses. When our immune system is working well (not deficient), it helps to fight these germs. But when the immune system is weakened by HIV (or by some medications), these germs can get out of control and cause health problems.

ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY; CURE TO HIV/AIDS?

A lot of people are still with the misconception that HIV/AIDS has a cure. I’d like state here again; HIV/AIDS does NOT have a cure, at least, for now.

Another misconception is the believe that Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is the cure to HIV/AIDS.

FACT: Antiretroviral therapy is NOT a cure to HIV/AIDS; it is only a management practice which is used to treat HIV patients, preventing it from developing to AIDS.

ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY, WHAT DOES IT ENTAIL?

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) involves a combination of medicines that helps fight HIV infection. ART helps control the HIV virus so that the infected person can live a longer, healthier life, reduce the risk of transmitting HIV to others, and even prevent the development of HIV to AIDS.

STOP LYING TO YOUR DOCTOR!!!

Ahan! What h a p p e n!!! People can lie!

"Doctor, I quitted smoking a long time." [Yet he smells all over like tobacco itself].

"I took the medicines just as you directed doctor" [Even after missing last night's regimen].

"I am well now, I feel great" [Just to waive the next shot of injection].

When patients get sick, they expect their doctor to make them well. They demand the best care, the latest drugs and the most advanced treatments available. They seek nothing less than a total recovery. Sadly enough, it’s often the patients themselves who sabotage their own medical outcomes.

Let me hint you on an open secret. . .

MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT HIV AND AIDS

For nearly 30 years, HIV/AIDS have been shrouded in myths and misconceptions. In some cases, these mistaken ideas have prompted the very behaviors that cause more people to become HIV-positive.

Although unanswered questions about HIV remain, researchers have learned a great deal. Here are the top ten myths about HIV, along with the facts to dispute them.

Myth No. 1: You can get HIV by being around people who are HIV-positive.

This is NOT true. HIV is NOT spread through bodily contacts with infected people. You cannot catch HIV by:

·          Breathing the same air as someone who is HIV-positive

·          Touching a toilet seat or doorknob handle after an HIV-positive person

·          Drinking from a water fountain

CAN I GET HIV FROM USING OTHER KINDS OF DRUGS?

The answer to this is NO, and at the same time, YES.

NO, because no drug in itself can cause HIV/AIDS.

YES, but not directly.

As earlier stated, no drug in itself can cause HIV/AIDS, but some drugs indirectly predispose an individual to greater risks.

Let's take a look at some of these drugs. . .

There are many drugs that people use or abuse occasionally.

The most common one is alcohol (in beer, wine, or liquor).

Others include:

Marijuana, Cocaine, Heroin, Amphetamines, Ketamine and Ecstasy.

These drugs do not only increases someone's risk of getting HIV, they can also cause special problems/complications for people who are already HIV infected.

HOW CAN I TELL IF I HAVE HIV/AIDS?

Usually, the key pointers as to whether someone is down with a particular disease are its signs and symptoms. But in this case, you cannot rely on symptoms to tell whether you have HIV. 

The only way to know for sure if you have HIV is to get tested.

At the same time, it is VERY important to know the signs and symptoms of HIV/AIDS so as to be health conscious and alert.

HIV/AIDS; SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

The symptoms of HIV vary, depending on the individual and what stage of the disease the individual is in. There are THREE stages, and they are:

●     The early stage (a.k.a acute infection or seroconversion)

●     The Clinical Latency stage

●     The late stage (progression to AIDS)

HIV/AIDS; WHO IS AT RISK?

This is one of the major important questions about HIV/AIDS, people seek an answer for. . .

WHO IS AT RISK? WHO IS SAFE? AND WHO IS NOT?

First, let me establish a very important fact here, and simultaneously debunk a myth (or more like a general presumption). . .

HIV DOES NOT jump on people !!!. . .

Some people are with the presumption and unrealistic fear that "HIV flies in the air". Very funny right. The assumption is real, but the fact is false.

HIV/AIDS is NOT an airborne disease, it DOES NOT fly in the air, and it DOES NOT jump on people.

LET'S TALK HIV/AIDS With MEDICALMATTAZ

Just recently, I read in an article released by the United Nations that millions of people still don't know about or are not aware of the HIV virus and AIDS, it left me dumbfounded, I was totally surprised.

I had some reservations, but I got even more shocked when I got to discover that even quite a lot of people, even some scholars, (YES! You heard right, S C H O L A R S), don't know what the term HIV/AIDS stands for.

Majorly and generally, HIV/AIDS is known by many to be a disease, a pandemic, and that's all they know about it. But that's not all about HIV/AIDS, and that's why we're doing this. Oya, let's talk HIV/AIDS (from the basics of course).

WHAT IS HIV/VIRUS?

HIV is an abbreviation for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, while AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.

IT'S ABOUT TIME

Globally there are an estimated 34 million people who are infected with the HIV virus. And since its discovery in the early 80's, more than 35 million people have died of HIV/AIDS, making it one of the most destructive pandemics in history.

According to the United Nations Special Sessions on HIV/AIDS, many of the 36 million people infected with HIV do not know they are carrying the virus. Nor do they know much about the disease. And as a result, more than 2 million people die each year of this disease.

It's not like nothing is being done about it; in fact, a lot of health organizations and foundations have risen up to the aid. But. . .

#ITSABOUTTIME we talked about it