Name: Neljean S.

Paler

Section: BSMLS 1-C

"STI, HIV and AIDS AWARENESS."

We all know that STI, HIV and AIDS continue to be a serious topic and a
major global public issue nowadays. We, as a future leaders need to acquire enough
knowledge and deep understanding to lessen the high rate of this issue.

Last November 27, 2019 (Wednesday), the Tagum Doctors College, Inc.
conduct a HIV/AIDS Symposium together with Sir Erwin Espinosa, the guest speaker of
the said symposium. We have to be open minded when it comes to this kind of topic and
I have so many insights after attending the symposium.

But before that, there are some questions that are need to be answered.
First, how many percent in Mindanao specifically in our City, Tagum diagnosed with
HIV? What is STI? What are the signs and symptoms of STI? Is STI curable or not? What
is HIV? What is AIDS? What are the difference between the two? What are the signs and
symptoms of HIV/AIDS? How does HIV get passed from one person to another? Who can
get HIV? And, where to go when you have to take a HIV test?

According to the PowerPoint Presentation presented by Sir Edwin

Espinosa, the Philippines has the fastest growing HIV in Asia and the Pacific. Region XI is
the top 5 with most number of newly diagnosed by HIV. On July 2019, 1,111 total
number reported of these cases. The average number of people newly diagnosed with
HIV on selected years are: in 2008, there is one only; in 2011, there are 7; in 2014, we
have 16; in 2018, 32 and recently on July 2019, there are 35 people diagnosed with HIV.
We noticed that as the year goes by, the number of people diagnosed with HIV are
getting higher. These modes of transmission among newly diagnosed on the amount of
July: there are 699 of male having sex with males only, 254 of males having sex with
males and females, 84 of male-female sex, 9 who injecting drug use, and there is 1 for no
data. The HIV testing services in Tagum City as of July 2019, the number of patient
screened are 225; 35 male which is non reactive and 190 female, non reactive. Fot
reactive, both male and female got 0 who confirmed as positive.

What is STI? An STI is a sexually transmitted infection. These infections

are usually passed by sexual contact with someone who is infrcted including vaginal,
anal and oral sex. Some STI's can also be spread through non sexual means such as via
blood or any blood products. There are so many facts of Sexually transmitted infection
according to the booklet of STI/health promotion. You can get sexually transmitted
infection the first time you have sex; you can get an sexually transmitted infection even if
you know your partner; you can't tell if someone has sexually transmitted infection by
looking at them; you can get sexually transmitted infection from oral sex; you can be
infected with more than one STI at a time; you can get sexually transmitted infection
more than once; and many more. Sir Edwin Espinosa presented a pictures or examples
of the common signs and symptoms of STI. It was very interesting since I don't have
enough idea how the person looks like having infected. It allows me to be educated and
be aware especially in our generation or age that gets a higher rate of the said infection.

There are many common of sexually transmitted infection: bacterial,

viral, protozoal, fungal and skin parasites. Under in bacterial we have, bacterial vaginosis
(BV), chlamydia,syphilis, gonorrhoea. Genital herpes (HSV), genital warts (HPV),
molluscom contagiosum, HIV and Hepatitis B are belong to the viral stage. In skin
parasites, we have public lice (crabs), scabies and many more.

According to the health promotion book about sexually transmitted

infection, bacterial Vaginosis is the most common cause of abnormal discharge from the
vagina. You can get this bacterial vaginosis if you have a higher risk of having a oral sex,
smoke and have sex with multiple partners. The common symptoms include an
abnormal smell from the vagina, like a "fishy" smell. The "fishy' smell is worse after sex.
Bacterial vaginosis is treated with antibiotics but there is a possibility to come back and
needs to be treated again.

Chlamydia is a bacterial infection. It passed from one person to another

from unprotected sex (oral, vaginal, and anal), from mother to baby during delivery, etc.
You cannot catch chlamydia by hugging, kissing, swimming, sitting on toilet seats, etc.
Chlamydia is diagnosed by taking a urine sample in men and a vaginal swab in women.
Sometimes a swab from the rectum or throat is also taken.

Gonorrhoea is a curable bacterial infection. You can get this by using

unwashed sex toys, rimming (mouth to anus contact), unprotected sex, etc. To prevent
yourself getting gonorrhoea, aside of not having a sex, use condoms evrytime you have
sex. Also, get a regular sexually transmitted infection tests, if you are sexually active.

Another bacterial infection is the syphilis. Syphilis is usually diagnosed by

a blood test if you want to be tested. You can get syphilis by skin to skin contact, oral,
vaginal and anal sex, a mother to child during pregnancy (congenital syphilis), and many
more.

In viral infection, we have genital herpes caused by the herpes simplex

virus (HSV). There are two types of herpes simplex virus: HSV 1 is the virus that causes
cold sores around the mouth. HSV 2 is usually sexually transmitted. You can get herpes
simplex virus by skin to skin contact, unprotected sex, rimming, etc.

On the other hand, genital warts are warts in the genital area caused by a
virus called the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV). You cannot catch the HPV by hugging,
kissing, sharing towels, using swimming pods, etc. HPV is passed by skin to akin contact
including vaginal, anal oral, rimmibg, mouth to anus contact and etc.

Can hepatitis B be treated? The answer is yes. There are different stages
of hepatitis B infection. Some stages need treatment and some do jot need treatment but
need to be checked regularly. We also have HIV or Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It
belongs to the viral STI where there is no cure. STI's are curable but not all STI's are
curable especially when you diagnosed with a viral infection including HIV.
 HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It is a virus that can
make you sick. There are three facts of Human Immunodeficiency Virus. First, Human
Immunodeficiency Virus weakens your immune system, your body's built-in defence
against disease and illness. Second, you can have Human Immunodeficiency Virus
without knowing it. You may not look or feel sick for years, but you can still pass the
virus on to other people. Third is without Human Immunodeficiency Virus treatment,
your immune system can become too weak to fight off serious illnesses. Human
Immunodeficiency Virus can also damage other parts of your body. Eventually, you can
become sick with life-threatening infections; and this is the most stage of Human
Immunodeficiency Virus infection, called AIDS.

AIDS stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. According to Sir

Edwin Espinosa, AIDS is the infection may be transmitted from one person to another.
The immune system is compromised. The body can no longer fight off infections;
individual may suffer from two or more opportunistic infections such as lung infection,
swollen lymph nodes, fungal infection, and many more.

The difference between Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired

Immunodeficiency Syndrome is HIV is a virus that attacks the human immune system
and weakens its ability to fight infection and disease while AIDS is the final stage of HIV
infection, when the immune system is severely damaged.

In addition, HIV can only get passed when one of these fluids: blood,
semen including pre-cum, rectal fluid, vaginal fluid and breast milk from a person with
Human Immunodeficiency Virus gets into the bloodstream of another person through
broken skin, the opening of the peni or the wet linings of the body such as the vagina,
rectum or foreskin. Human Immunodeficiency System can also passed through
uprotected sex (anal or vaginal sex without a condom), sharing needles or other
equipment to inject drugs including steroids and to a fetus or baby during pregnancy,
birth or breast feeding. You cannot passed Human Immunodeficiency Virus by talking,
shaking hands, working or eating with someone who have HIV, hugs or kisses, coughs or
sneezes, swimming pools, toilet seats, bed sheet or towels, forks, spoons, cups, etc.
Anyone can be infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus no matter your age, sex,
race or ethnic origin and who you have sex with.

According to the WHO, there are four clinical stages of HIV/AIDS. Stage 1
is the asymptomatic and persistent generalized lymphadenopathy. Stage 2, we have
unexplained moderate weight loss where there is an unexplained involuntary weight
loss in pregnancy failure to gain weight, recurrent upper respiratory tract infections
such as unilateral face pain with nasal discharge (sinusitis), herpes zoster, angular
cheilitis, recurrent oral ulceration, popular pruntic eruption, seborrhoeic dermatitis and
fungal nail infection. In clinical stage 3, we have unexplained chronic diarrhoea for
longer than one month, persistent oral candidiasis, oral hairy leukoplakia, pulmonary
tuberculosis, severe bacterial infection. In clinical stage 4 including HIV wasting
syndrome, pneumonia, chronic herpes simplex virus infection of more than one month
or visceral infection, oesophageal candidiasis, chronic isosporiasis, symptomatic HIV-
associated cardiomypopathy and many more.
 To sum up, there is no cure for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, but with
proper care and treatment, most people with HIV can avoid getting AIDS and can stay
healthy for a long time. Ant-HIV drugs have to be taken everyday. They cannot get rid of
HIV but they can keep it under control. The only way to know if you have Human
Immunodeficiency Virus is to get tested. The HIV test is a simple blood test. An HIV test
could save your life. You can go to the public health unit, local AIDS organization or
contact to the AIDS sexual health hotline.

Indeed, the only way to survive with Human Immunodeficiency Virus is

to have a positive thinking that HIV is not a death sentence rather it gives us hope and
chance to fight and live life with a proper care and treatment.