Sometimes Difficult...

 

Sometimes writing this blog can be difficult.  Finding topics can be challenging.  When I was 1st diagnosed, my situation wasn't that uncommon.  There were never a lot of things posted about rural states like Oklahoma.  But the pieces were more relatable.

Things changed & that's not longer true.  I'm not;  Black, Hispanic, trans, from another country or fringe group.  It seems that being an HIV+ gay man from rural Oklahoma is at the same time too unrelatable & mainstream.  

I can find articles about meds, policies & treatments.  But finding articles relevant to my situation is nearly impossible.  I found articles this morning over rural issues & HIV.  They all focus on Africa.  I can find things on gay men, but usually only closeted POC guys.   

In the beginning, I was seen as too liberal, fringe & weird by the majority of people on the right.  Now, I'm seen as too common, conservative & overshadowing by the far, fringe left.  Apparently, I'm doing something right, I've managed to piss off a lot of people.

HIV is a global issue.  But, this is blog has a tighter focus; my life.  If these articles bring nothing to my blog, then I won't bother.  Unfortunately, that often leaves me nothing to cover.  Other people will write about those issues, places & people ad nauseam.

Cya...

Boggling Elite...

 

This just 1 of many  articles I found over the concept,  'Elite Controllers.'  These are people, who due to some characteristics of their biology/genetics may contract HIV & not progress on to AIDS.  These 'Long Term Nonprogressors' somehow control the virus without  medications or other therapies.  They maintain low viral loads & healthy CD4 counts.  

These people are rare.  This condition is not always permanent & some will progress into AIDS.  I can't find anything detailing how likely they are to transmit the virus.   Researchers are studying this now, but have only managed to find a small sample to examine.  Again, this is very rare. However, studying these people, may give some insight into another means to combat HIV.

Cya...

Rare Transmision...

I saw this topic yesterday, but I was hoping they'd add more to it before I posted.  They haven't, so I'll post now.  There's been a report of a rare father-to-son, non-sexual transmission of HIV.   I'm not going to post many details, so read the article.  

Besides HIV, the father was being treated for 2 other illnesses that both caused him to have skin lesions.  These sores were oozing & he handled his infant.  He never thought he could transfer HIV that way.  However, he had chickenpox, which would've spread that way.  This was a case comorbidity in the father that led to the child's infection.  

I'm not going to judge the father's actions.  I don't know the details.  It could've been utterly necessary for him to touch the child.  It wouldn't have taken much to transmit chickenpox.   

My concern here is that people will think you can get HIV from just touching.   You can't.  This man had open sores, that were oozing infection & other bodily fluids.  He was also suspected to be at HIV's most virulent stage & the chance of transmission was high.  While any bodily fluid can transmit the virus.  Most don't have a high enough concentration to cause concern.  However combine bodily fluids with open sores/cuts or other contangions & you may have a problem. 

Be careful & take care.

Cya...