A Brief Note On The Important Knowledge Of Human Immunodeficiency Virus

HIV is a virus that can lead to AIDS. Patients infected with HIV often shows no symptoms until the disease has progressed to AIDS. HIV is transmitted through bodily fluids, but cannot be transmitted through casual contact. Most commonly, HIV is transmitted through sexual contact. It may be transmitted through blood-to-blood contact, such as needle sharing or accidental needle sticks in a healthcare setting. It may also be transmitted during pregnancy or birth from mother to child. It cannot be transmitted through casual contact such as hugging, playing sports or touching something that was touched by someone infected (CDC, n.d).

Transmission of the HIV virus, as well as any other types of STDs, is a subject that needs to be discussed seriously and cautiously. There are many ways that one can acquire HIV/AIDS and it is very beneficial that every person is aware of the certain procedures to follow in order to avoid such an afflicting harm. The most common transmission of HIV is through sexual intercourse, where bodily fluids such as semen, vaginal secretions, or even blood are transferred from an HIV positive person to a non-infected person. AIDS is the deadliest sexually transmitted disease reaping about 13,700 deaths per year(Web, HIV in the US). There are approximately 36.9 million people living with the HIV virus, which is why more prevention techniques should be utilized across the globe.

In the past four decades, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has been discovered, developed into an international epidemic, and

Introduction –HIV, Human immune deficiency virus which started in late mid 90s has already devastated many people causing great economic impact on their families, communities and health care systems. In USA the first HIV patient was diagnosed in 1981 after which disease spreads rapidly by which it affects nearly 1.2 million people as of now. As per US centre for disease control and prevention Out of 1.2 million

HIV/AIDs is a huge epidemic still plaguing society today. The lack of knowledge and technical advances has caused an increasing number of cases. It has made its way around the world since the 1940s, causing countries to join together in the fight against AIDs. With all the campaigning that has been done the numbers of cases continue to rise. Countries have separated the disease into three patterns to make it easier to distinguish the effects that AIDs has on different regions of the world. As well as what subtypes sprout from what areas. HIV/AIDs can be spread in many different ways. The future is still uncertain for the victims whom lives have been dramatically changed by this deadly disease.

People can contract HIV through several sources. First, people who need blood transfusions can become infected. For example, “… in some cases, the virus may be transmitted through blood transfusions.” (NHP CC DC) Second, people who share infected needles can become infected. For example, “… HIV can be transmitted through needles syringes contaminated with infected blood.” (NHP CC DC) Third, another way people can become

Due to the high incidence of transmission via unprotected sexual intercourse, bisexuality and needle sharing, the most common ways HIV is transmitted is through anal or vaginal sex or sharing drug injection equipment with a person infected with HIV. Susceptible populations include college age African American females. One such population is the confined by this epidemic. African Americans have the most severe burden of HIV of all racial/ethnic groups in the United States.

The disease HIV, also known as human immunodeficiency virus, is a virus that is transmitted through bodily fluids that cause an attack on the body’s immune system and destroys T cells, which help defend the immune system from infectious diseases (CDC, 2015 A). HIV is a prevalent public health issue because it is a preventable disease, but over 1.2 million Americans are living with the disease and the numbers keep increasing yearly (CDC, 2011 A). Also, 1 out of every 5 American living with HIV are unaware that they have the disease (CDC, 2011 B). Studies show that in 2014 there were around 51,000 new cases of HIV diagnosis (CDC, 2011 B) Adult and adolescent males from the ages of 13 and 24 years old make up 81% of all the HIV cases (CDC, 2014). The main targeted groups for HIV are, 1 in 6 gay/bisexual men, 1 in 20 African American men, 1 in 48

In the 1980s, a mysterious disease began to take the lives of Americans. With the cause unknown, a fear grew among Americans. An unusually high rate of people was becoming sick with strange and rare diseases. When experimental treatments failed to work, people died. This mysterious disease is what we now know as HIV–Human Immunodeficiency Virus. In the past thirty-five years, the HIV has taken many turns in history. Although we do not hear about HIV and AIDS now, it is still a prevalent issue in the United States and in the world.

Another way to get HIV is sharing sex toys with someone who is infected which is classified as behaviors that can be the cause of this problem. Another way to get HIV is perinatal transmission. Perinatal transmission is when the mother passes the infection to her child during the childbirth, pregnancy and even breastfeeding. The mother passing this virus is considered one of the genetic factors to this problem. The final way of transmitting HIV is through blood transfusion. Among drug users, sharing and reusing syringes contaminated with HIV-infected blood is really dangerous. Even when receiving tattoos and piercings, you are at risk for HIV depending on the new or used needles.

The epidemic of Human Immunodeficiency Virus began in the early 1980’s and was thought to be a homosexual related disease, as only homosexuals where reported as having the virus during the early stages of discovering HIV/AIDS. It’s believed that a virus similar to HIV first occurred in some populations of chimpanzees in Africa, the virus crossed species by exposure of body fluids mixing, during butchering or cooking of the animals(2). Today over 78 million people are reported to have been infected with HIV, in 2012, AIDS-related illnesses were the 6th leading cause of death globally (3).

HIV can pass from person to person, there are many ways in which this happen, the main way in which HIV is transmitted is through sexual contact; according to the Health Protection Agency in 2011, 95% of people diagnosed with HIV acquired the virus through sexual contact. Other ways In which HIV is transmitted include sharing needles, syringes and other injecting equipment, a child can obtain the HIV virus from the mother during child birth or during breast feeding, a less common way is which HIV is passed on in the UK is during blood transfusions however this way of transmission continues to remain a problem is less developed countries.

As with many problems, the reason HIV and AIDS is so rampant is due to the lack of knowledge and education about the issue. Simply by educating the public on what HIV and AIDS are, as well as preventative measures, it would greatly reduce the risk of transmission. Each year, the numbers of those who are infected continue to rise. With over 33.4 million individuals already who have already contracted the virus, research continues in hopes for a cure for both HIV and AIDS. Each and every one of us can make an enormous contribution to losing fight against AIDs and HIV

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or HIV, is the virus that causes AIDS, the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Over 1.1 million people in the United States are living with HIV, and almost a fifth of HIV infected Americans are unaware of their status. Even though there have been key enhancements in the prevention and treatment of HIV, we continue to see too many new HIV infections accompanied by many AIDS deaths.

Now this is not the same as unprotected vaginal sex which has the second highest risk of transmission because there is exposure to sexual fluids such as semen, vaginal fluids to the mucous membrane. Even though vaginal sex has second highest risk of transmission but it is the most common way HIV is transmitted. And this is because overall people have more vaginal sex that anal sex. Oral sex is another way of transmitting HIV: using the mouth to stimulate the vagina, anus or penis which carries the risk of transmitting HIV. Also someone suffering from chlamydia, STI, Herpes or any other form of sexually transmitted diseases increases your chances of transmitting or getting HIV. As your skin, mucous surface, sores and ulcer (symptoms of STI) allow HIV to easily inject themselves.