Title: Default for CD3
Course: Communicable Diseases Part 3 - Ethiopia (Full)

Q: HIV is more prevalent among young sexually active people than among elderly people.
- True (Correct! It is true. HIV is more prevalent among young sexually active people than among elderly people.)
- False
A: True

Q: In most cases, an HIV infection can lead to AIDS in a few months.
- True
- False (Correct! It is false. In most cases, an HIV infection leads to AIDS in 5–10 years, and only if the person does not get antiretroviral therapy.)
A: False

Q: In the early course of HIV infection, people may not know that they are infected with the virus because they feel healthy (have no symptoms and signs).
- True (Correct! It is true. In the early course of HIV infection, people may not know that they are infected with the virus because they feel healthy (have no symptoms and signs).)
- False
A: True

Q: HIV mostly infects the red blood cells of humans.
- True
- False (Correct! It is false. HIV mostly infects CD4 lymphocytes, which are a type of white blood cell in humans.)
A: False

Q: HIV can only be transmitted through sexual intercourse with an infected person.
- True
- False (Correct! It is false. HIV can be transmitted through sexual intercourse with an infected person, but also by transfusion of infected blood, or blood products sharing — or accidental puncture with — sharp objects contaminated by infected blood; and from mother to child.)
A: False

Q: HIV is not transmitted through oral sex.
- True
- False (Correct! It is false. HIV can be transmitted through oral sex; the virus can get in through microlesions in the mucosa lining in the mouth.)
A: False

Q: Unprotected anal sex has a lower risk of transmission of HIV than unprotected vaginal sex.
- True
- False (Correct! It is false. Unprotected anal sex has a higher risk of transmission of HIV than unprotected vaginal sex.)
A: False

Q: Eating and shaking hands with PLHIV cannot transmit HIV to uninfected individuals.
- True (Correct! It is true. Eating and shaking hands with PLHIV cannot transmit HIV to uninfected individuals.)
- False
A: True

Q: The decline in the function of the immune system of a person living with HIV is associated with the onset and increasing severity of opportunistic infections.
- True (Correct! It is true: As the immune system’s ability to defend against infectious diseases declines in PLHIV, various and more severe opportunistic infections appear.)
- False
A: True

Q: The onset of severe opportunistic infections usually occurs at CD4 counts between 800 and 1500 cells/mm³.
- True
- False (Correct! It is false: The appearance of severe opportunistic infections usually occurs when the CD4 count falls to below 450 cells/mm³.)
A: False

Q: The occurrence of an opportunistic infection in a person who has not been tested for HIV is suggestive of HIV infection.
- True (Correct! It is true: Patients with opportunistic infections who have not been tested for HIV may be unknowingly HIV-positive. You should counsel and refer the patient for HIV testing. However, you should not classify a patient according to the WHO clinical staging system unless they have tested positive for HIV.)
- False
A: True

Q: PLHIV can be categorised by the WHO clinical staging system according to their most severe opportunistic infection.
- True (Correct! It is true: To classify a patient on the WHO HIV clinical staging system, the patient has to be HIV-positive, and specific diagnoses of opportunistic infections and diseases are required. PLHIV are classified into different stages according to their most severe opportunistic infection.)
- False
A: True

Q: There are effective ARVs to treat HIV, and a vaccine which cures HIV/AIDS
- True
- False (Correct! The statement is false. Even though effective treatments to control HIV exist now, there is still no cure for HIV/AIDS anywhere in the world, and no vaccine to prevent it.)
A: False

Q: ART can completely eliminate HIV from the human body
- True
- False (Correct! It is false. ART cannot completely eliminate HIV from the human body.)
A: False

Q: The two main goals of ART are to reduce the number of CD4 cells, and eradicate the virus from the blood.
- True
- False (Correct! It is false. The two main goals of ART are to reduce the number of viruses in the blood to a very low level (they cannot be eradicated by current treatments), and to increase the number of CD4 lymphocytes as much as possible, to boost immunity.)
A: False

Q: Two ARV drugs are combined in the most effective treatment for HIV.
- True
- False (Correct! It is false. Combining only two ARV drugs is less effective than treating HIV with a combination of three ARV drugs from different groups.)
A: False

Q: One of the major benefits of ART is to make the patient feel healthy and to enable him or her to practise unsafe sex, because the treatment stops HIV from being passed on.
- True
- False (Correct! It is absolutely false! HIV can still be transmitted from a person on ART to an uninfected sexual partner if they practise unsafe sex. Remember that ART does not cure HIV/AIDS)
A: False

Q: PITC is HIV testing initiated by the client.
- True
- False (Correct! The statement is false because PITC is HIV testing initiated by the healthworker either in the health facility or at community level.)
A: False

Q: Which of the following is not a benefit of HIV testing?
- It creates early access to HIV treatment and care.
- It provides an opportunity to reduce high-risk behaviour.
- It helps in preventing transmission of HIV.
- It helps those found to be HIV-negative to practise sex without the need for protection. (Correct! It is not a benefit of HIV testing because individuals found to be HIV-negative should have a plan to remain HIV-negative. They should plan to avoid sexual behaviour and practices that increase the possibility of being exposed to HIV. As part of this plan, they should practise safe sex.)
A: It helps those found to be HIV-negative to practise sex without the need for protection.

Q: Which of the following is not a mode of delivery of HIV counselling and testing that requires the client’s consent?
- PITC
- VCT
- Mandatory HIV testing. (Correct! Mandatory HIV testing is usually only used when requested by a court in rape or other sexual assault cases.)
A: Mandatory HIV testing.

Q: We can report a positive HIV test just by doing a KHB rapid test.
- True
- False (Correct! The statement is false because you have to perform a second test using STAT-PAK before reporting a positive test. A third test using a Uni-gold device may be required if the STAT-PAK test is non-reactive.)
A: False

Q: Which of the following is not a strategy to prevent transmission of HIV?
- Providing information on ABC rules of safer sex to clients.
- Providing information on prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission.
- Provider-initiated HIV testing and counselling.
- Implementing HIV infection prevention measures at your health post.
- Not mobilising your community to reduce harmful traditional practices such as uvulectomy. (Correct! Harmful traditional practices such as uvulectomy promotes sharing of sharp objects contaminated with blood, and hence facilitates HIV transmission.All the other statements are good ways to prevent HIV transmission.)
A: Not mobilising your community to reduce harmful traditional practices such as uvulectomy.

Q: Universal precautions are used only with very sick patients.
- True
- False (Correct! The statement is false because universal precautions are standard procedures used when we manage all patients. Universal precautions should be implemented and practised by all healthcare providers and caregivers in all settings, in particular in hospitals, health centres, health posts and community settings, as well as the homes of your patients.)
A: False

Q: The more you handle an injection instrument, the more skilful you will become at avoiding the risk of needle-stick injury.
- True
- False (Correct! It is false. The more you handle an injection instrument, the more likely you are to suffer a needle-stick injury.)
A: False

Q: Place a safety box close to the person giving injections, so used syringes and needles can be disposed of immediately.
- True (Correct! It is true. Place a safety box close to the person giving injections, so used syringes and needles can be disposed of immediately.)
- False
A: True

Q: Do not manually remove a used needle from the syringe.
- True
- False (Correct! It is true. Do not manually remove a used needle from the syringe.)
A: True

Q: Do not carry used syringes and needles around with you.
- True (Correct! It is true. Do not carry used syringes and needles around with you.)
- False
A: True

Q: Avoid recapping the needle after you have given an injection.
- True (Correct! It is true. Avoid recapping the needle after you have given an injection.)
- False
A: True

Q: Close the safety box when it is full, and start a new one.
- True
- False (Correct! It is false. Safety boxes should be closed when they are three-quarters full; you risk a sharps injury if you try to add needles or other instruments to a full safety box.)
A: False

Q: If a health facility has all the personal protective equipment (PPE), the healthcare workers in that facility do not need a post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) service.
- True
- False (Correct! The statement is false. Remember that although universal precautions will decrease the occurrence of occupational exposure, there are ‘accidents’ and unanticipated exposures, which necessitate PEP for HIV. Even if a health facility has all the PPE, it needs a PEP service for its healthcare workers to prevent HIV transmission through accidental occupational exposure. If PEP is not available in a health facility, or when there is nobody trained in how to manage such cases, referral of the exposed health worker to a nearby health facility which has a PEP service should be arranged as soon as possible.)
A: False

Q: Less than 10 out of 100 children will be infected by HIV if drugs for PMTCT are taken by the mother.
- True (Correct! It is true)
- False
A: True

Q: All pregnant women who are HIV-positive and in WHO clinical stage 3 or 4 need antiretroviral therapy (ART).
- True (Correct! It is true)
- False
A: True

Q: A pregnant woman who is taking ARV drugs to treat her own HIV infection also has to take additional ARV drugs for PMTCT.
- True
- False (Correct! It is false. A pregnant woman who is taking ARV drugs to treat her own HIV infection does not need additional ARV drugs for PMTCT.)
A: False

Q: PMTCT with single-dose Nevirapine means giving one dose of this drug to the newborn baby.
- True
- False (Correct! It is false. Single-dose Nevirapine for PMTCT is given to the mother at the onset of labour, as well as to the newborn baby.)
A: False

Q: The progression of HIV infection in children is slower than that of adults because they have fewer viruses in their body.
- True
- False (Correct! It is false. Compared to adults, HIV infection progresses more rapidly in children, due to their immature immune system.)
A: False

Q: Rapid HIV testing can confirm HIV infection in a six-months-old infant born to an HIV-positive mother.
- True
- False (Correct! It is false. In children under the age of 18 months we do not use a rapid HIV test to confirm HIV infection, because maternally acquired antibodies can give a false positive test result. The definitive diagnosis of HIV at this age is done by using DNA PCR testing.)
A: False

Q: ARV drug dosages should be adjusted as the child gains weight or grows.
- True (Correct! It is true)
- False
A: True

Q: Young children normally have higher CD4 counts than adults, and it is better to use the CD4 percentage (instead of the CD4 cell count) as a criterion of whether to start them on ART.
- True (Correct! It is true.)
- False
A: True

Q: A Person living with HIV who is on ART cannot transmit HIV to other people.
- True
- False (Correct! it is false: Even if patients are taking ART they can transmit HIV to other people if they engage in unprotected penetrative sex. This is because ARV drugs do not eliminate HIV from the body; they suppress viral replication.)
A: False

Q: The correct use of condoms prevents the transmission of HIV by about 50%.
- True
- False (Correct! It is false: If condoms are correctly used, they can prevent the transmission of HIV by more than 98%. The remaining 2% transmission usually results from incorrect use of condoms by the user.)
A: False

Q: The nutritional needs of PLHIV who have an opportunistic infection are higher than that of uninfected people.
- True (Correct! It is true: The nutritional requirement of sick people is higher than that of healthy people. This is because additional energy is needed to compensate for the increased metabolic needs due to illness.)
- False
A: True

Q: Hand washing with soap and water is important to prevent faeco-oral diseases.
- True (Correct! It is true: Handwashing with soap and water is very important in preventing faeco-oral diseases.)
- False
A: True

Q: Palliative care is only given to patients who are near to death.
- True
- False (Correct! It is false. Palliative care is not terminal care (care given to dying patients only); it is the care provided to patients with a chronic illness, from the time the disease is diagnosed until the end of life. It regards dying as a normal process, and affirms life.)
A: False

Q: Palliative care is provided only to PLHIV because HIV/AIDS is not curable.
- True
- False (Correct! It is false. Palliative care is also needed for patients with other non-curable chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes and strokes)
A: False

Q: Palliative care is an essential part of care for patients with cancers.
- True (Correct! It is true)
- False
A: True

Q: Patients with chronic illnesses like diabetes or stroke may need palliative care.
- True (Correct! It is true)
- False
A: True

Q: Palliative care includes prevention and relief of suffering, pain and other physical problems, as well as attention to psychosocial and spiritual issues.
- True (Correct! It is true)
- False
A: True

Q: Relieving pain is not a routine part of palliative care, since it is not treating the chronic disease that caused the pain.
- True
- False (Correct! The statement is false. Even though the disease causing the pain is not curable, we have to manage pain properly. The reason for doing this is because pain makes patients suffer a lot, which in turn affects their quality of life. Treating pain is relieving patients from this suffering, and hence giving them a better quality of life. Pain management should be an integral part of managing non-curable chronic illnesses.)
A: False

Q: Which of the following is not part of the preventative home-based care you will give to bedridden patients with AIDS?
- Frequent repositioning of a bedridden patient and skin care to prevent bed sores
- Providing oral care
- Providing hygienic care of the body
- Exercising the joints to prevent muscle stiffness and contraction
- Treating infection of the lungs. (Correct! It is not part of preventative home-based care for bedridden patients. First, it is a treatment, not palliative care. Secondly, if the patient develops a lung infection, he/she has to be referred to a nearby health facility for specialist treatment as soon as possible.)
A: Treating infection of the lungs.

Q: Since terminally ill patients will die soon, it is a waste of a health worker’s time to provide them with end-of-life care.
- True
- False (Correct! This statement is absolutely false, because end-of-life care is very important for patients with a terminal illness. Indeed, it helps us to recognise that life and death are normal events. It helps the dying patient and loved ones to adjust to the many losses they face, and tries to ensure that a dignified death occurs with minimal distress.)
A: False