Expert Views
During this project, we found a doctor and sent her some questions over e-mail. She replied with answer to some question we made up, and we put them here on our site to show you AIDS from an expert point of view. The doctor's name is Mary Aspin, and she works in the General Pediatrics and Infectious Diseases department at Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group. The text in white are the questions we wrote, and the text in gray is what Mary Aspin wrote back to us.
1.Why is it so hard for people to contain AIDS?
"The control
and prevention of HIV/AIDS depends
on whether you are in a developed
country (like the USA, Canada, United Kingdom) or an underdeveloped
country ( like Africa,India, Asia, South America). In the USA we have
extensive AIDS education programs,HIV
testing of pregnant women, treatment of HIV infected women during birth,
government
sponsored HIV testing programs. In contrast, the underdeveloped countries
do not have these resources. The result- a hugh epidemic of HIV in
the poor countries of the world and a small epidemic of HIV/AIDS in
the USA. The
majority of HIV infection in the USA is preventable. Our public awareness
of HIV helps. Most people know that HIV is a sexually transmitted infection
in both men with women sex as well as men with men sex. Most people
know that condoms reduce HIV transmission. Most people know that abstaining
from sex until marriage is the best prevention and only one sex partner.
Most people know that dirty used needles transmit HIV. Sadly, this
education is lacking in the underdeveloped world."
2. Is AIDS really something to fear?
" AIDS is a killer. HIV infection means you are infected with the
HIV virus. If you have AIDS you not only are HIV infected, but also
have an
AIDS defining illness. That is, a very severe infection or a cancer,
lung or brain involvement.
Remember, HIV is preventable. Abstain from sex until marriage. Get
HIV tested if you are having sex, and use condoms."
3. Are there really
that many cases around the world?
"Yes there are really that many cases around the world. The most
recent estimates I could find were from 2005. As of 2005, 386 million
persons in the world with HIV/AIDS and 2.3 million of these are less
than 15 years old. Globally, more
children
under age
5 years die of AIDS than any other cause."
4 and 5. Have
you ever had any patients that had AIDS? If so, did that effect the
way that you treated them with medical treatment? Or did you have
to change the way that you tried to make them better?
"I have taken care of many children with both HIV infection
and full on AIDS. I am a pediatrician, whether a child has
a simple"cold" or
full blown AIDS, my desire is to help him/her to feel better.
I love the kids regardless of circumstance. An HIV infection
has serious
consequences. Your immunity is altered, several medications
are needed to stop the
virus
from multiplying, Often these med's have side-effects."
6.Has
there ever been any one story or person that you met or heard
about that really made you rethink what's important in your life?
"Over
the last 20 years I can recall many children with AIDS I have treated.
They all have tragic stories. Children are
the innocent victims of HIV,
usually acquired from the mother at birth. Thankfully,
we now have HIV drugs that we can give to the infected mothers during
time
of
delivery which greatly reduce transmission to the infant.
My last
patient was
a
5 year old hispanic boy who battled AIDS while hospitalized
at Children's Hospital San Diego for nearly 1 year. At one point he
was on about
25 different medicines. He died and his mother has HIV.
This entire tragedy could likely
have been avoided if the mother had HIV testing during
her pregnancy. Rarely a week goes by that I don't pause to reflect
God's calling in my life. I pause and I am grateful for my own health,
our great nation,
and
my many blessings. All the children I have taken care of
with AIDS have died or are in a slow process of decline. The challenges
and
troubles of
my life seem so small in comparison to those of the children
I treat."
7. Explain how AIDS makes you feel.
"AIDS makes me
feel very sad."
8. What do you think about the cures for HIV?
"There is
no cure for HIV. Our medications slow down or stop multiplication
of the
HIV (virus) DNA.
We usually give
at least 3 med's at a time
to help delay resistance. Once you have HIV you always
have HIV. Many
persons develope
an AIDS defining infection or complication. We have
many medicines to fight the viral, fungal, bacterial, and tuberulosis
infections
often occurring
in AIDS children and adolescents. Problems with HIV
that
is resistant to med's , very poor immunity, and severe infections
often cause
death."
9. What are some of the procedures for the prevention of AIDS and HIV?
"The cure for HIV/AIDS is prevention. Avoid high risk
behavior and get HIV tested if you are sexually active.
There is ongoing
research for an
HIV vaccine."
Mary Aspin MD,MSPH
General Pediatrics and Infectious Diseases
Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group
