<p>The quantitative findings indicated high levels of HIV/AIDS knowledge, self-concept and self-efficacy. Risky sexual behaviour was measured in terms of condom use and the number of sexual partners in the 12 months prior to the study with males reporting significantly more risky sexual behaviour. More males (70% vs. 43 % females) reported no condom use when engaging in sex. More males (62 % vs. 28 % females) reported having had two or more sexual partners in the 12 months prior to the study. Results also suggested that an increase in knowledge of HIV/AIDS would predict an increase in the use of condoms particularly for males. Lower self-efficacy seemed to predict an increase in the number of sexual partners for males. The focus group discussions highlighted students' views of HIV/AIDS knowledge in relation to their sexual practices, attitudes and sexual decision-making. Influences such as personal factors (self-concept and self-efficacy), social factors (e.g. peer influences, gender, and status) and environmental factors (e.g. media) were investigated. Participants also commented on the effectiveness of HIV/AIDS campaigns and the adequacy in provision of health services at college and community level. From the findings, guidelines were developed which may be used to reflect on current intervention programmes and may be considered when developing future interventions programmes, policies, or campaigns in promoting safer sexual practices amongst youth as a means of addressing the HIV/AIDS pandemic.</p>

Bakgrund: Varje dag smittas i genomsnitt cirka 14 000 personer av HIV i världen. Ny behandling har gjort att dessa patienter idag lever längre. Sjukdomsförlopp samt komplikationer går inte att förutsäga utan är individuellt. Eftersom personer med HIV/AIDS-diagnos nu lever längre kommer behovet av arbetsterapeutiska insatser att öka. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att beskriva arbetsterapeutiska insatser för personer med HIV/AIDS samt vilken roll arbetsterapeuten har i arbetet kring dessa personer. Metod: En systematisk litteraturstudie gjordes för att få svar på syftet. Resultat: Vi har kommit fram till att arbetsterapeutiska insatser för personer med HIV/AIDS kan delas in i fem teman; Handledning, Hjälpmedel och anpassning, Undervisning, Förhållningssätt samt Existentiella frågor och andlighet. Arbetsterapeuten hjälper patienten att formulera målsättningar och att uppnå ökad självständighet genom att bland annat tillhandahålla hjälpmedel och bedriva utbildning. HIV/AIDS-patienters bakgrund är viktig att tänka på då den kan visa hur mottaglig en patient är för olika arbetsterapeutiska behandlingsmetoder. Slutsats: Arbetsterapeutiska insatser som används i arbetet med HIV/AIDS-patienter skiljer sig inte mot insatser riktade till andra patientgrupper.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a betaherpesvirus that infects up to 80% of the population worldwide, and establishes latency in monocytes and bone marrow cells. Reactivated HCMV can become an opportunistic pathogen in individuals who are immunocompromised, such as those with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). HCMV infection of AIDS patients causes a sight-threatening retinitis that leads to vision loss and blindness in up to 46% of this population without antiretroviral treatment. Because untreated HIV-infected individuals exhibit the loss of cell-mediated immunity and alterations in CD4+ T-helper (Th) cell cytokines, including elevation of interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-10, and IL-17, we sought to test the hypothesis that these cytokines play key roles in governing the susceptibility to AIDS-related HCMV retinitis. This hypothesis was tested utilizing a clinically relevant mouse model of experimental murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) retinitis that occurs in C57BL/6 mice immunosuppressed by mouse retroviruses (MAIDS). Studies revealed that MAIDS progression was associated with increased levels of IL-4 and IL-10, cytokines whose production has been associated with diminished CD8+ T-cell-mediated immunity during HIV infection. However, MCMV–infected eyes of retinitis-susceptible IL-4-/- or IL-10-/- MAIDS mice exhibited frequency and severity of retinitis and viral titers equivalent to MCMV-infected eyes of wild-type MAIDS animals. These studies indicated that neither IL-4 nor IL-10 alone play key roles in increased susceptibility to MCMV retinitis. In comparison, IL-17, an inflammatory cytokine associated with the ocular autoimmune disease uveitis, was systemically increased during the progression of MAIDS, but MCMV-infected eyes of retinitis-susceptible MAIDS mice exhibited a significant reduction in IL-17. These findings suggested that IL-17 plays no direct role in the pathogenesis of experimental MCMV retinitis. However, these results also suggested the remarkable possibility that MCMV downregulates IL-17 production, a hypothesis supported by the observation that systemic MCMV infection of healthy and MAIDS mice resulted in the downregulation of IL-17. Mechanistic studies revealed that knockdown of IL-10 resulted in a partial recovery IL-17 levels during MCMV infection. We conclude that MCMV-induced IL-17 downregulation occurs via the stimulation of IL-10 and the suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS)-3. Taken together, our results add new information to the immunobiology of HCMV and to our basic understanding of the pathogenesis of AIDS-related HCMV retinitis.

Toxoplasmosis is an important cause of congenital disease, and it is one of the most common opportunistic infections in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The need for a reliable experimental model of this infection is crucial not only for achieving a better understanding of the patho-physiology of the disease, but also for developing better methods for evaluating new therapeutic regimens. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the role of CD4+CD25+ T regulatory lymphocytes in mice infected with Toxoplasma gondii. T regulatory (Treg) cells have been shown to play an important role in our immune system in controlling the activity of other T lymphocytes. These cells are differentiated from other T lymphocyte populations based on the co-expression of CD4 and CD25 and expression of the Foxp3 gene. The results of several recent studies have suggested that certain pathogens may be able to increase their survival in the host by exploiting T reg cell activity. T regulatory cells have been shown to control the persistence of the protozoan parasite, Leishmania major, in mice; however, this population of cells plays only a limited role during murine infection with Trypanosoma cruzi. In the present study we have investigated the role of Treg cells during murine infection with the ME49 strain of T. gondii. In vivo depletion of Treg cells was accomplished by injecting mice with a monoclonal antibody (Mab) isolated from the 7D4 rat hybridoma cell line. This Mab is specific for the interleukin-2 receptor chain (also known as CD25). Female Swiss Webster mice of approximately 6-7 weeks of age were depleted of Treg cells by intraperitoneal injection of 400µg of Mab, mice were injected once 7days prior to infection, and a second time 1 day prior to infection, with 20 tissue cysts of T. gondii. Mouse weight and tissue cyst numbers were monitored to evaluate the impact of Treg depletion on the outcome of infection. Our results suggest that depletion of Treg cells has little measurable impact during the acute stage of infection with the ME49 strain of T. gondii. Further studies will be required to determine what role, if any, these cells play in the chronic stage of murine toxoplasmosis.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 193-209).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2001. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 130-140).

<p>The quantitative findings indicated high levels of HIV/AIDS knowledge, self-concept and self-efficacy. Risky sexual behaviour was measured in terms of condom use and the number of sexual partners in the 12 months prior to the study with males reporting significantly more risky sexual behaviour. More males (70% vs. 43 % females) reported no condom use when engaging in sex. More males (62 % vs. 28 % females) reported having had two or more sexual partners in the 12 months prior to the study. Results also suggested that an increase in knowledge of HIV/AIDS would predict an increase in the use of condoms particularly for males. Lower self-efficacy seemed to predict an increase in the number of sexual partners for males. The focus group discussions highlighted students' views of HIV/AIDS knowledge in relation to their sexual practices, attitudes and sexual decision-making. Influences such as personal factors (self-concept and self-efficacy), social factors (e.g. peer influences, gender, and status) and environmental factors (e.g. media) were investigated. Participants also commented on the effectiveness of HIV/AIDS campaigns and the adequacy in provision of health services at college and community level. From the findings, guidelines were developed which may be used to reflect on current intervention programmes and may be considered when developing future interventions programmes, policies, or campaigns in promoting safer sexual practices amongst youth as a means of addressing the HIV/AIDS pandemic.</p>

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2002. / Härtill 6 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol inst., 2003. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Uppsala universitet, 2006. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.