CDC urges to gear up against AIDS

In a universal fight against the deadly AIDS, new proposals issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) exhort routine testing for the AIDS virus among all adults and adolescents.

Federal health authorities’ via their new recommendations urge a regular HIV screening of people between the age group of 13 to 64.

Estimated figures by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, quote about 1 million Americans are infected by AIDS and nearly 40,000 become newly infected annually. Unfortunately, a quarter of a million remain unaware and become carriers of the HIV virus, thus, passing the infection to others unknowingly.

AIDS is caused by a virus called HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) that spreads through unprotected sexual activity and blood-to-blood contact with people who have HIV. The virus also spreads from an infected mother to her baby during pregnancy or through breast feeding.

The infection quietly destroys the immune system of the body over time. Although incurable, some new drugs claim a healthy life for the AIDS patients.

The announcement intends to identify the infection carriers at early stage ,so that they can get into quicker treatment and also take adequate precautions from spreading the infection further.

Dr. Julie L. Gerberding, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, “When people know they're positive, the research has shown they take steps to protect others from infection. People who don't know it continue to transmit the virus."

Though CDC intends a compulsory screening, people might still have an option to opt out. Dr. Timothy Mastro, acting director of HIV/AIDS Prevention at CDC said, “Patients should be specifically informed that HIV testing is part of routine care they're receiving and that they have the opportunity to opt out.”

Different screening schedules have been proposed for different categories of people. Patients running low chances of getting infected would undergo a single screening, whereas regular annual testing has been recommended for high risk patients like sex workers or injecting drug users.

Further, a series of screening, first at the time of conformation and then in the third trimester of pregnancy have also been recommended for pregnant women, to cut down the chances of passing on the infection to her baby. Moreover, for HIV positive pregnant women, a rapid HIV test during labor has been proposed.