Mid Semester

As this week comes to an end, I've had more time to absorb the event and the information from the crazy week before. The movies shed new light on the short duration that HIV has existed in this world. It's truely amazing how little we knew about this thirty years ago and how far we have come with ART's and medications to slow and box in the virus. It is also amazing how little society has grown from its affect. Most of this I feel, can be explained by the inability of schools to educate about AIDS without being about to discuss the high risk behaviors involved with it. While some steps have been taken such as promoting condoms in the anscence of abstinence, other topics such as homosexuality (which is on the rise) and drug use (which some may eventually fall victim to) are not talked about. The movie Age of AIDS shed light on the chronological history of AIDS and how it has seeped into nearly every demographic and region of the world. It was fascinating to watch the evolution of this virus unlike anything else.

Did You Know... About False Positives??


We already know that it is possible for people within the window period to test negative when actually being positive for HIV, it is also possible for the reverse. The common screening test, ELISA works by targeting certain anitbodies and then yeilding a positive if the target is found. However, the body can sometimes has different antibodies that trick the test, yeilding a positive when in fact the person is negative. These can include antibodies in instances of tuberculosis, malaria, and rheumatoid arthritis (cross- reactivity with other retroviruses). Other can include contamination at the lab, pregnancy, or a history of drug use. The chances of this happening are minimal: 1-5 per 100,000 assays. Should a person test positive, a Western Blot test should immediatly be taken to ensure the positive is in fact positive. This test works mainly as a confirmation test that specifically targets the HIV virus.

Add On

Freddie Mercury


Lead vocalist of the rock band Queen. Died on November 24, 1991 by AIDS related bronchopneumonia just 24 hrs. after the public disclosure of his status.








Arthur Ashe

First and only African American to win the Wimbledon's men singles to date, and one of two African American men to win the Grand Slams Title. Ashe contracted HIV through blood transfusions recieved during heart surgery and later died on February 6, 1993 from AIDS related toxoplasmosis.





Reference List:

1. Jones, Liz. Causes of a False Positive. eHow. retrieved March 3, 2010 from, http://www.ehow.com/about_5045612_causes-false-positive-hiv-test.html.

2. Arthur Ashe. Arthurashe.org. Retrieved March 3, 2010

3. Photo: Biographicon. Retrieved March 3, 2010 from, http://www.biographicon.com/view/ah91h.

4. Freddie Mercury Biography. Retrieved March 3, 2010 from http://www.freddie.ru/e/bio/.

5. Photo: Style Inspiraion: Mr. Mercury. Retrieved March 3, 2010 from :http://www.ultrapdx.com/zero/2007/12/18/style-inspiration-mr-mercury/.