What's in the web for family physicians - resources on HIV/AIDS

Alfred KY Tang 鄧權恩

The Virtual AIDS Office (VAO) of Hong Kong
http://www.info.gov.hk/aids/

The Virtual AIDS Office (VAO) is established as an initiative of the AIDS Unit of Centre for Health Protection, Hong Kong. VAO functions as a clearinghouse of the Unit's five main programmes including: Red Ribbon Centre
(http://www.info.gov.hk/aids/rrc/english/main.htm),
Integrated Treatment Centre
(http://www.info.gov.hk/aids/english/itc/main.htm),
AIDS Hotline and HIV Testing
(http://www.info.gov.hk/aids/english/hotline/main.htm),
Surveillance Office
(http://www.info.gov.hk/aids/english/surveillance/main.htm)
and the Advisory Council on AIDS
(http://www.info.gov.hk/aids/english/aca/eaca.htm).

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Divisions of HIV/AIDS Prevention, USA
http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/default.htm

As part of its public health mission, CDC is active in helping the control of the HIV/AIDS epidemic by working with different parties in the community. CDC estimates that over one million Americans are living with HIV, and about one quarter of them are unaware of their HIV infection. CDC's programmes continue to work to improve treatment, care, and support for people living with HIV/AIDS and also to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic worldwide.

Johns Hopkins HIV Guide
http://www.hopkins-hivguide.org/

A resource for physicians and other healthcare professionals in providing care and treatment to patients with HIV/AIDS. CME materials on HIV/AIDS are available, and an animated tutorial on HIV drug resistance is put up online. Other information on HIV/AIDS includes 'Diagnosis', 'Drugs', 'Management' and 'Pathogens' making it a useful and comprehensive site for healthcare providers.

HIV and AIDS Online Minicourse
http://www.engenderhealth.org/res/onc/hiv/

The online course is designed to provide a basic introduction to HIV and AIDS for health care providers and planners. The is comprised of seven modules, namely 'What are HIV and AIDS', 'Understanding HIV/AIDS', 'Transmission and Risks', 'Diagnosis and Testing', 'Management of HIV/AIDS', 'Preventing HIV Infection' and 'Integration of HIV prevention and care'. There is also a glossary of terms and some case studies to facilitate learning.

Textbook of AIDS Pathology
http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/AIDS2008.PDF

The online textbook on AIDS Pathology includes a general discussion of the pathophysiology of HIV infection, organ system pathology of AIDS, and descriptions of the opportunistic infections and neoplasms associated with AIDS. There are also discussions of issues, including safety and education, related to the AIDS epidemic. The online textbook is developed by the University of Utah Department of Pathology. There is also a HIV Tutorial available at the website at http://library.med.utah.edu/WebPath/TUTORIAL/AIDS/HIV.html, which outlines the features of the virus, mechanism and prevention of infection, transmission and genetic variability of infection, and other basic facts relating to HIV infection.

AIDSMAP
http://www.aidsmap.com/

Aidsmap was set up with the aim of delivering reliable and accurate HIV information to HIV-positive people and to the health professionals across the world. It is a community based information site with extensive up-to-date information on treatment and care, preventing HIV, HIV basics and other practical information. The website is maintained by the National AIDS Manual (NAM), with the aim of fighting AIDS with comprehensive and accessible information.

The Body - A Multimedia AIDS & HIV Information Resource
http://www.thebody.com/

The website covers topics like 'What is HIV?', 'HIV Testing', 'Just Diagnosed', 'Choosing an HIV Regimen', 'HIV Medications' and 'Common Side Effects'. A lot of misconceptions on AIDS are clarify and practical information for patients are included at the website. Since its founding in 2000, the Positive Project has collected more than 100 first-person stories told by people infected or affected by HIV/AIDS, presented in the website as blogs or interview videos. The information and stories are put up online with the aim to reduce stigma, raise awareness of public, promote AIDS prevention, encourage testing and enhance caring of patients. Through the availability of information on the web, it is hoped that barriers between patients and clinicians can be lowered, and HIV/AIDS and its treatment be demystified.