Tom Kuczmarski, president of Chicago-based management consulting firm Kuczmarski & Associates announced the award along with co-founder of the Chicago Innovation Awards.
Abbott Laboratories was recognized since it devised the nation's first test that could detect both HIV antigen and antibodies simultaneously. The result is much faster than other rival tests. HIV antigen is a protein that the virus produces right after infection. Antibodies, on the other hand, develop much later as the body works to fight the infection.
Medical experts are of the opinion that one in four people who get infected with HIV are not aware of it. 50 percent of transmissions come from people who do not know that they've been infected.
Known as the Architect HIV Ag/Ab Combination test, Abbott's innovation is aimed at spotting the virus up to 20 days earlier as compared to other tests. This has helped stem the spread of the virus earlier than ever before.
Studies conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveal that antibody-only tests miss up to 10 percent of HIV infections in a few high-risk groups. This is mainly because the body's immune system fails to produce antibodies. Abbott's test also yielded fewer "false positives" in clinical trials.
Dr. Peter Leone, medical director of the North Carolina HIV/STD Prevention and Control Branch at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill said: "A significant percentage of new HIV infections are transmitted by someone with an undetected acute infection, so identifying more people earlier offers a significant opportunity for counseling, which can reduce high-risk behaviors and also initiate antiretroviral treatment for early-stage infection, if appropriate"
Approved by the U.S Food & Drug Administration, the test has is already being offered in several Chicago-based hospitals.
Sexual intercourse is not necessary for transmission of genital herpes. Sexual contact is the primary way that genital herpes simplex virus spreads. As the herpes virus cannot survive for long time outside your body, you cannot acquire this virus from any object used by an infected person. Sexual contact is the primary way that genital HSV spreads. It's almost impossible to get the infection through contact with toilets, towels or other objects used by an infected person, because the virus dies quickly outside the body.
Sexual intercourse is a common cause of urinary tract infections. During intercourse bacteria in the vaginal area is sometimes forced into the urethra by the penis. Sexual lubricant is helpful right at the start of sexual activity.
How To Prevent STD Infection
Condoms restrict contact between the male genital organ and the mucosal surfaces of the vagina, mouth or anus, where sub clinical shedding is known to occur. Condoms may not cover all sites of viral shedding, and they don't provide a 100% guarantee against herpes transmission. Condoms should be used for any type of sex with every partner. For vaginal sex, use a latex male condom or a female polyurethane condom. Condoms that cover the infected area can help reduce the risk of transmission. However, condoms may not cover all of the affected area.
Condoms will stop transmission across the area covered, but of course they only cover the penis, so if sores are elsewhere transmission can still occur. Condoms can reduce your risk of gettinggenital herpes if used the right way every single time you have sex. But a condom protects only the area of the body that it covers.
Diagnosis
Health care providers can diagnose genital herpes by visual inspection if the outbreak is typical, and by taking a sample from the sore(s) and testing it in a laboratory. HSV infections can be diagnosed between outbreaks by the use of a blood test. Health care providers can diagnosegenital herpes by visual inspection of an outbreak; taking a sample from the sore(s). HSV infections can be difficult to diagnose between outbreaks, so laboratory testing is recommended.
Patients may also need ongoing help with the physical aspects of herpes outbreaks and information about preventing transmission. Patients with this infection should have a diet loaded with fruits and vegetables.