HIV Infection and AIDS (2 CEU’s)

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is caused by either HIV-1 or 2 HIV-2. These viruses target specific subsets of T cells and eventually cause immune dysfunction. In the advanced stages, the disease is characterized by the occurrence of a number of opportunistic infections not usually seen in persons with normal immune function. What happens is the immune system becomes so weakened by HIV, setting up the stage for bacteria and viruses to take advantage of the weakened immune system, causing infectious diseases. This advanced stage is referred to as Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or AIDS. 

AIDS is the most severe result of infection with the HIV. The virus is composed of ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules that belong to the class of viruses called retroviruses. Their RNA composition allows them to replicate within a living host cell causing havoc on the victim’s immune system. AIDS disables the body’s immune system and allows for a variety of opportunistic infections and manifestations of illnesses. A patient with HIV  is considered to have AIDS after developing one or more of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defined AIDS indicator illnesses or has blood tests (CD4 and T-cell counts, HIV RNA level) that represent AIDS

Even though medical treatment can slow down the rate at which the HIV virus weakens the immune system and treat illnesses associated with AIDS, it is important to know that there is currently no medical treatment to cure AIDS itself.

HIV/AIDS is more often treated as a chronic/long-term disease with a wide range of progression.

Learning Outcomes:

• Demonstrate understanding of HIV/AIDS and how HIV affects the immune system.
• Understand how HIV/AIDS is transmitted and effective methods of infection control and prevention.
• Demonstrate understanding of contamination myths and be able to practice safe workplace habits to minimize workplace exposure.
• Identify methods to prevent transmission of HIV

Instructions for taking the course

To complete the course successfully, you must go through all the lessons below. You MUST mark each lesson as complete by clicking the MARK COMPLETE BUTTON. If you do not click the mark complete button, you will not be allowed to proceed to the next lesson. Please notice that all lessons have a minimum set amount of time that you are expected to spend on each lesson. You will not be allowed to Mark the Lesson Complete until the timer resets to zero; that is, until the minimum time set for the course has passed. For example if lesson A has an allocated minimum time of 10 minutes, you will have to wait 10 minutes before you can mark Lesson A complete. The Mark Complete button for lesson A will be grayed out and will not become active until 10 minutes are over.

WARNINGIf you forget to click the Mark Complete button done, you will be prompted to go back to that lesson again and have to wait till the allocated timed minutes resets to zero again before the Mark Complete button becomes active. After all lessons are completed and they are Marked Completed, you will then be allowed to take the post test. If you successfully pass the quiz, you will earn CEU’s for this course and you can proceed to print out your certificate.

LESSONS & QUIZ BELOW