CAJ - Food poisoning

Some of you might have already experienced a food poisoning. It’s a horrible medical condition that sometimes can have serious consequences and even lead to death. Apart from parasites and toxins, a food poisoning is most frequently caused by viruses or bacteria. 

When it comes to a food poisoning that was caused by a virus, the Norovirus is often involved. This kind of virus is responsible for about 90% of epidemic nonbacterial gastroenteritis outbreaks worldwide. The most common symptoms of this disease are diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Overall, the virus is rather harmless as no long-term problems will develop. Nevertheless, due to the high loss of body water (dehydration) medical treatment should be required.

In terms of bacteria that cause a food poisoning, the most known ones are Salmonella. These bacteria can also cause gastroenteritis and another infection called salmonellosis. The latter often develops when you have eaten raw eggs. Moreover, it is also transmitted by several animals such as chickens, hamsters as well as infected pet reptiles and amphibians. In most cases the people feel well within a few days and therefore don’t require medical treatment.  Some, however, do require antibiotics and a few even hospitalization for diarrhea and dehydration.

Another form of bacteria that causes a food poisoning is Listeria monocytogenes. Listeria   hides in many foods such as sprouts, soft cheese, smoked seafood and raw milk. Usually these bacteria will not kill you either, provided that you are not one among those patients with underlying risk factors. Patients who suffer from listeriosis could die if they do not get supportive care. Actually, it is very easy to prevent this infection, namely by taking measures such as proper food handling and preparation. In Austria there has been a case where a certain kind of cheese with listeria in it was sold. Even though it was known that the cheese contains listeria, no measures were taken, or were at least taken too late.  This carelessness claimed the lives of six people. A very sad story as this could have been easily prevented.

CAJ - Aids and HIV

 

 

 

In terms of AIDS and HIV, the most common mistake people tend to make is to say that both terms refer to the same disease. However, there is a major difference between these two: the abbreviation HIV means Human Immunodeficiency Virus and is only the name of a disease’s pathogen which leads to the weakening of the immune system. Only the entirely developed stage of the disease is called AIDS - Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. The point is that even though the cause of AIDS is always the HI-virus, not every HIV-infected person suffers from immunodeficiency. Thanks to special therapies, infected people can live for years and even decades without developing the life-threatening disease.

History:

Around the 1980s HIV was first discovered by two different research teams. Almost at the same time the first cases of AIDS occurred in the USA. Since then the HIV infection has developed itself to a dangerous disease being one of the biggest medical problems of our time. Annually, about 3.5 million people contract the virus and about 35.5 million people live with the virus today. Since the beginning of the epidemic 36 million people have died.

STIGMA OF HIV

HIV is everywhere. People all over the world suffer from it. South Africa has the highest prevalence of HIV/AIDS compared to any other country in the world with 5.6 million people living with the virus. AIDS was at first considered a disease of gay men and drug addicts, but in Africa it took off among the general population. So it was passed on from mother to child. Furthermore, many Africans can’t afford themselves to buy contraceptives. It’s almost like a vicious circle. In Western countries, to the contrary, AIDS is referred to the disease of drug-addicted people. In reality, however, drug addicts only make up a small percentage of HIV-infected people. In most cases the virus is transmitted during unprotected sexual intercourse with an infected partner. The main problem is that many people are careless when it comes to contraception.

 

Should immigrants from Eastern countries undergo compulsory HIV testing?

I think it would be good to consider that, but actually every person is herself/himself responsible for doing HIV testing. And so is every person responsible for watching out to not contract the virus!!!