Dr. Songül Özer, Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Specialist at Üsküdar University NPISTANBUL Brain Hospital, gave a seminar titled "Positive Perspective on HIV/AIDS" to students studying at Üsküdar University Faculty of Medicine and Vocational School of Health Services.
Stating that the HIV virus, which causes undesirable consequences due to its severe damage to the immune system, is transmitted through sexual intercourse, blood and blood products, experts point out the importance of hand hygiene, compliance with cleaning rules and protection in sexual intercourse. Emphasizing that disruption of skin integrity is especially important in terms of infectiousness, experts warn that manicure, tattooing and piersing should be done in safe places. Referring to social prejudices against HIV/AIDS, Dr. Songül Özer said, "You can touch a person with HIV/AIDS as long as there is no blood anywhere."
Üsküdar University NPISTANBUL Hospital Infectious Diseases and Microbiology Specialist Dr. Songül Özer gave a seminar titled "A Positive View on HIV/AIDS" to the students studying at Üsküdar University Faculty of Medicine and Vocational School of Health Services.
Dr. Songül Özer, who gave information about HIV/AIDS in the seminar organized online by Üsküdar University Health Culture and Sports Directorate and Medical Students' Association due to the pandemic, pointed out the misconceptions and prejudices on these issues.
There are 38 million HIV positive people in the world
Coming together with the doctors, nurses and midwives of the future, Dr. Songül Özer stated that according to the World Health Organization data, 38 million people in the world are HIV positive as of December 2019 and said, "Of course, this is known, the number of people who have been screened, blood tested, with or without any complaint, and who are sure to be HIV positive is 38 million. There are also as many unknown people. In 2019, only 1.7 million new cases were detected and only 690 thousand people died due to HIV-positive AIDS-related diseases. These are very high figures."
24,300 cases detected in Turkey in 35 years
Stating that the first diagnosis of HIV/AIDS began to be made in 1985 in Turkey, Dr. Songül Özer noted that 24,300 HIV positive cases were detected between 1985 and 2019. Stating that this number is estimated to be three times higher, Özer said, "Because this disease is not well known and tests are not performed."
HIV virus is fatal because it collapses the immune system
Noting that the reason why the HIV virus is so deadly is related to its collapse of the immune system, Dr. Songül Özer said, "The HIV virus is very smart. It comes and especially likes the body's strongest soldier and the commander who fights first in many virus infections, namely T lymphocytes, which we call CD 4. It goes and sticks to them. It prevents CD 4 cells from working and functioning normally. In this way, T cells become unable to respond not only to HIV but also to many viruses, especially viruses. In other words, it collapses the immune system. In the third period, rather than the damage caused by HIV itself, viral diseases such as very small colds and flu, or streptococcal infections and some malignancies that are added on top of them, start to be seen very much. Unfortunately, we lose our patients due to opportunistic infections, fungal and bacterial infections and cancers. We are losing these people not because of the disease itself, but because of microorganisms that would not actually cause death in a normal person because the immune system has collapsed."
How is HIV transmitted?
Emphasizing that HIV/AIDS is transmitted through sexual intercourse, blood and blood products, Dr. Songül Özer also said that HIV is transmitted from HIV carrier women to their babies. Dr. Songül Özer said, "We know that it will never pass through intact skin. The blood coming to the skin with impaired integrity, tissue transplantation, bone marrow transplantation or organ transplantation can transmit AIDS because it contains blood. One of the most important transmission routes is sexual transmission. It is possible for HIV-positive women to infect their babies through the placenta, that is, through breast milk if they are pregnant, if they give birth normally during childbirth and if they breastfeed the baby."
Pay attention to hand hygiene
Prof. Dr. Songül Özer also drew attention to the points to be considered in daily life to protect against the HIV virus: "You always have to wash your hands. Hand washing is very important in taking precautions against infectious diseases. Hands must be washed after coming from outside. Hands should be washed before and after eating. Nurses and physicians must wash their hands before examining the patient. Wash your hands after examining the patient. Wash your hands if you have touched the patient's belongings. Wash your hands when moving to another patient. Wash with normal water and normal soap. If you cannot reach soap and water, you can use alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
Use your own manicure tools
This also protects you from AIDS, coronavirus and hepatitis. If the integrity of the skin on your hands is impaired, you can use gloves if there will be contact with blood and blood products. Do not have a manicure where you do not trust the cleanliness, and if possible, have your own tools for manicure. Do not have tooth filling, tooth extraction, especially root canal treatment at a dentist you are not sure is clean. Do not get your ear pierced in an unsafe place. When getting piercings and tattoos, you should prefer clean and safe places, not under the stairs. The biggest contamination occurs here."
Be free from prejudice and do not exclude
Emphasizing that HIV/AIDS is transmitted sexually and through blood and blood products, Dr. Songül Özer advised especially future doctors, nurses and midwives to stay away from prejudices on this issue and said, "You can touch a person with HIV/AIDS. You can examine them with your bare hands. Our duty is to take care of them. As future health professionals, stay away from prejudice against these people. Instead of excluding and marginalizing them, show that you are on their side."
