A Closer Look at HIV Essay

HIV or the Human Deficiency virus is like other viruses including the flu, but the one thing that makes this virus so different than any other is that the body is unable to clear this one out completely. Once someone is infected, there is no cure. Over time, HIV can also hide or mask itself in the body's cells. The cells within a person's body that fight off infection are called CD4 cells or T cells. HIV attacks these cells and copies or replicates itself inside these cells, then destroys them. HIV over time will destroy so many of these cells that the body is unable to fight off infection anymore. When this starts happening, AIDS or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome happens which is the final stage

The term Human Immunodeficiency Virus is commonly known as (HIV), which is a virus that attacks the immune system of humans by destroying the amount of CD4 cells in their bodies. Without CD4 the human body is unable to fight against diseases, which can lead to Acquired Immune deficiency syndrome known as AIDS for short. The first case of the HIV/AIDS virus in the U.S. occurred in the early 1980’s. The first spark of the virus was found in San Francisco with couple of homosexual Caucasian American males. Today African Americans account for the largest proportion of HIV and AIDS in this country, represent approximately 13% of the U.S. population, but accounted for an estimated 44% of new HIV infections in 2010(the last year a study was

Liver cirrhosis, which is the end product of liver disease caused by HCV, is the leading cause of organ transplants in the United States (Hirsch, 2000).

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a viral infection that can be life-threatening and is a lifelong disease. HIV attacks the body and weakens the immune system. HIV stays in the body for life and some of the symptoms are diarrhea, headache, fever, night sweats, and flu-like symptoms.

HBV, as stated above, is a disease that affects the liver by coming into contact as an infant from the mother during birth, sex with an infected partner, sharing needles, razors, or toothbrushes of an

HIV is a sexually transmitted disease that attacks the body’s immune system by diminishing CD4 cells that help prevent and fight illnesses. HIV is a virus, more specifically a retrovirus that transcribes its RNA into the host cell’s DNA, and is spread by a transfer in bodily fluids namely drug injection and condomless sex. As the disease progresses into acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), the virus continues eliminating CD4 cells until the immune system becomes virtually ineffective [5]. Scientists first identified HIV in 1985 in response to the AIDS crisis plaguing the United States [6]. With no cure yet available, those affected with HIV must rely on antiretroviral drug therapy to decrease their chances of developing AIDS [7].

The environment can act as a reservoir for infectious virus and so HCV transmission can occur by inapparent percutaneous exposures from contaminated reused needles and syringes, infusion bags, multiple-use medication vials, tattooing etc (Alter, 2007; Kamili et al., 2007; Alter, 2011).

When a doctor uses the term Hepatitis C or HCV, what comes to mind? Many people have little to no knowledge of what it is. Is it deadly? Is there a cure? Is it a virus or disease? There are many questions that enter the mind because there are many concerns associated with an unknown illness. Several people wonder if the virus is similar to hepatitis A or B because there has been education throughout the years that provides more awareness surrounding the two known viruses, but it is discovered there are vast differences. Until recently, the general population was unaware that another hepatitis virus acts as a silent killer. Unlike hepatitis A or B, hepatitis C is a relatively new disease that can go unnoticed until it is too late. The virus was initially named non-A, non-B hepatitis because the virus was identified through numerous blood tests in the 1960s and 1970s (“Hepatitis C History”). The virus was given the name hepatitis C in the 1980s when the Center for Disease Control was able to identify the virus (“Hepatitis C FAQ”). It was identified that the virus enters the human body by entering through blood or bodily fluids and nestles in its permanent home of the liver. This virus is a highly infectious bloodborne pathogen that can cause cirrhosis of the liver and in some cases turn into liver cancer. At this time, there is no cure once the virus has been transmitted. Even though the transmission rate is low, the first step in attacking the virus is to educate people on

Primary HIV infection is the first stage and only lasts for a few weeks. Flu-like illnesses may be present during this stage. The second stage is known as clinically asymptomatic stage and typically lasts for an average of ten years. Although major symptoms might not exist during this stage, the HIV-positive person may experience swollen glands. Symptomatic HIV infection is the third stage. As the immune system continues to fail, symptoms surface and become miniscule at first then later leading to more prevalent symptoms. This third stage is generally caused by illnesses, involving cancers and infections, which the immune system would normally fight off but is not able to because the immune system is too weak. Finally, AIDS, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, develops and is the final stage of HIV. A person is diagnosed with AIDS when they show the symptom called an opportunistic infection. This is when infections take advantage of the weakened immune system. HIV leads into life threatening AIDS and causes the infected individual to feel escalating amounts of pain such as neurotic pain, tremendous headaches, gastrointestinal pain, chest pain, and even emotional pain such as depression. This pain can be intense enough to cease the individual from living a productively normal life. HIV and AIDS can strike anyone at any point in their life and should be taken seriously.

When an infected person doesn’t practice proper hygiene by washing their hands properly after visits to the bathroom and touching other objects or food.

HIV broken down stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. The H stands for human, which means that this virus can only affect humans, the I stands for immunodeficiency and this means that HIV weakens the immune system, the V stands for virus which means that it can only reproduce itself by taking over cells within the body of an individual. HIV is similar to other viruses (like the flu) the only difference is that the body can fight the flu off but it cannot fight HIV off. “HIV can hide for long periods of time in the cells of your body and that it attacks a key part of your immune system – your T-cells or CD4 cells. Your body has to have these cells to fight infections and disease, but HIV invades them, uses them to make more copies of itself, and then destroys them.”(What is HIV/AIDS?) Once HIV enters the body it will never leave it, the only thing that an individual can do is neutralize it by keeping it from taking over all of the cells through medication. HIV then progresses to AIDS this however doesn’t mean that if a person has HIV they will get AIDS; if they treat early on they can prevent it from turning into AIDS.

Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. There are currently five known viruses that cause can hepatitis (Microbiology, 10e). The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is transmitted through contact with the blood of an infected person; however, it is now more commonly spread among IV drug users that share needles. Healthcare workers are also at risk for contracting HCV, but with standard precautions, the risk is low. “Prior to 1992, some people acquired the HCV infection from transfusions of blood or blood products. Since 1992, all blood products have been screened for HCV, and cases of HCV due to blood transfusion now are extremely rare. HCV can be passed from mother to unborn child. Approximately 4 out of every 100 infants born to HCV-positive mothers

HCV is an enveloped single stranded RNA virus and belongs to the genus Hepacivirus of the family Flaviviridae (Irshad el al., 2013). Analysis has identified 6 different types of HCV genotypes numbered 1 to 6 (Pawlotsky, 2003). Genotype 1 is the common type of HCV currently in the United States (Irshad el al., 2013). Differentiating between the genotypes when determining the which antiviral regimen to treat the patient with. Humans are the only known natural host for HCV (Pawlotsky, 2003). HCV is a non-cytopathic virus that enters the liver cell and replicates causing hepatocytes necrosis by several mechanisms by immune mediated cytolysis and metabolic changes including hepatic steatosis, oxidative stress and insulin resistance

HIV is the human immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS. A member of a group of viruses called retroviruses, HIV infects human cells and uses the energy and nutrients provided by those cells to grow and reproduce. AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is a disease in which the body's immune system breaks down and is unable to fight off certain infections, known as "opportunistic infections," and other illnesses that take advantage of a weakened immune system. When a person is infected with HIV, the virus enters the body and lives and multiplies primarily in the white blood cells. These are the immune cells that normally protect us from disease.

HIV, or the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, is a virus which damages and kills cells of the immune system. It attacks the T-cells, key cells of the immune system, and uses them to make copies of itself. After being infected with the virus it progressively interferes and eventually destroys the immune system's ability to fight the anti-genes. HIV may develop into the syndrome AIDS, the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. HIV is an STD - a sexually transmitted disease - and therefore most commonly it is spread through sexual contact, and the virus mainly enters the body through the penis, mouth, lining of the vagina or vulva during sexual activity. HIV can also be spread through sharing syringes or needles with someone who is infected with the