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 …show more content…
This often leads to them being treated differently and badly. Often, they get the denial of education for HIV positive children, the denial of equal opportunities for employment and the lack of access to equal health care.
HIV is a virus that is spread almost all over the world. Although in some places health care isn’t as developed and therefore it spreads more in those regions. Sub-Saharan Africa holds more than 70%, 25 million, of all HIV positive people in the world. Second highest is Eastern Europe together with Central Asia with 1.3 million. It is spread over most of the world, including Asia and the Pacific, the Caribbean, Central and South America, North Africa and the Middle East and Western and Central Europe (“The Regional Picture”).
Currently, there are no vaccines and no cures for HIV or AIDS, although scientists are researching and finding new drugs and treatments. So far, scientists have discovered a variety of drugs and medication that can be used to control and slow the virus and the progression of the disease. There are some drugs which interfere with the virus ability to make copies of itself by disabling a protein it needs, like Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. If someone is diagnosed with HIV, it is important to start with treatments as soon as possible.
In Sweden, where I live, the disease is not even seen as deadly anymore. Only approximately 6,500 Swedes are today infected
HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus and can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) if not treated (About HIV/AIDS, n.d). Unlike some other viruses, the human body cannot fully rid itself of HIV completely, even with treatment. Simply put, once you contract HIV, you have it for life. This disease attacks the body’s immune system, specifically the CD4 cells (T cells), which help the immune system stave off infections. When left to its own devices, HIV reduces the number of CD4 cells (T cells) in the body, making the person more likely to
Diagnosis for HIV usually consist of a blood test. These test look for antibodies to the virus that would be present in an infected person. There is no cure for HIV or AIDS but there is various medications that can slow the effects or even block some on the effects. Most medications will be used in a combination to make sure no one strand gets through and makes everything worse. Though this disease is incurable, it takes a long while for HIV to become AIDS, if catched before it is really bad. With the proper medication AIDS can be delayed for almost ten years, though eventually it is inevitable that HIV will morph into AIDS, and because there is no
Although there is no treatment for HIV/AIDS there are ways to lower the chance of getting the virus. In 1986 the Uganda government promoted the “ABC” strategy which meant abstinence, being faithful to one partner or using a condom. There is also a drug called antiretroviral therapy which is a medication for the treatment of infection by retroviruses, primarily HIV. Over 577,000 people living with HIV in
Human immunodeficiency virus (most commonly known as HIV) is a virus that damages the cells in your immune system, affecting the body’s natural defence system against
Epidemiologist: This role involves learning about the pattern and incidence of how the disease is transmitted and works to help find community prevention solutions. The portals of entry for HIV: skin via Injection or trauma, mucous membranes of mouth, penis, vagina and rectum during sexual activity, placenta to child during pregnancy. Portals of exit: blood, semen, pre-ejaculate, vaginal secretions and breast milk. Reservoirs: human blood, semen and vaginal secretions. The mode(s) of transmission: unprotected sex exposing mucous membranes to infected fluids, injection using contaminated needle, infusion from contaminated blood transfusion, accidental prick from contaminated needle, having an open wound come into contact with infected blood; virus passing from mother to baby through placenta, to baby through breast milk, or via interaction with vaginal secretions during birth. However HIV cannot be transmitted through saliva, tears or urine (Merck Manual, 2003).
In the 1980s, the incidence of acquired immunodeficiency (AIDS) cases caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) rose to epidemic proportions in the US LGBT community predominantly due to their manifestation as Kaposi’s Sarcoma (KS), a viral mediated cancer (Haverkos & Curran, 1982). A major outcome out of the research on HIV-AIDS is the finding that the virus caused massive systemic immune suppression in the infected individuals, which in turn caused the patients to succumb to either opportunistic infections such as KS (Haverkos & Curran, 1982). However, HIV-induced KS also highlighted the dominant role of the human immune system to seek and destroy any cancer that could have been formed otherwise. It also implicated that there
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is responsible for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and attacks the T-4 lymphocytes, which are a fundamental part of the immune system of man. As a result, reduces the responsiveness of the organism to cope with opportunistic infections caused by viruses, bacteria, protozoa, fungi and other microorganisms. At the moment in which the AIDS virus is spreading with frightening speed and very dangerous and that there is a collective concern about AIDS, we must cling to developing our greatest means of defense known so far, which is information. Although AIDS is deadly, it can be prevented, and in that sense we all have an obligation to be met by seeking and disseminating information. This
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains a major public health challenge worldwide (Sepkowitz, 2001). HIV is a microscopic organism that attacks and destroys the immune system (Carter and Hughson, 2014). This has caused 35 million people to be diagnosed with the disease and an estimated 39 million people dying from HIV related causes since the beginning of the epidemic (World Health Organisation (WHO), 2016). The United Kingdom (UK) experienced a five percent rise in HIV diagnosis from 2012-2013 resulting in 107,800 patients being diagnosed with HIV (Public Health England (2014). This figure has led the UK to having one of the fastest growing HIV epidemics in Europe (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, 2013). HIV still remains incurable with no effective vaccines in place, nonetheless measures have been put in place to curb its transmission (Munier et al, 2011). The introduction of antiretroviral therapy has triggered a decrease in replication of HIV in the infected host (Connor, et al., 1994).
Exploration of HIV HIV infection is a worldwide outbreak – a deadly disease – affecting people everywhere. The spread of HIV infection has occurred on such a scale, and the impact of the disease is potentially so devastating to world health, that only a concerted, global response is appropriate. What is HIV?
HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It’s the virus that causes HIV infection. The human immunodeficiency virus causes HIV infection and over time acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. AIDS means Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV infection. AIDS is a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive. HIV destroys CD4 positive (CD4+) T cells, which are white blood cells crucial to maintaining the function of the human immune system. As HIV attacks these cells, the person infected with the virus is less equipped to fight off infection and disease, ultimately resulting in the development of AIDS. People with AIDS often suffer infections of the lungs, intestinal tract, brain, eyes, and other organs, as well as debilitating weight loss, diarrhea, neurologic conditions, and cancers such as Kaposi 's sarcoma and certain types of lymphomas. Most people who are infected with HIV can carry the virus for years before developing any serious symptoms. But over time, HIV levels increase in the blood while the number of CD4+ T cells decline. Without
Stein et al. (2015) similarly conducted a prospective, randomized clinical trial comparing effects of three ART treatments on carotid wall intima-media thickness (IMT). This was a multicenter project taking place over 26 institutions and included a total 328 participants. Subjects included HIV infected individuals who were not on any ART regimen and did not have known cardiovascular disease or diabetes mellitus. Participants who reported use of statins, fish oil, fibric acid derivatives or niacin were excluded from the study. All subjects received tenofovir/emtricitabine and additionally were randomized equally between one of three regimens of atazanavir/ritonavir (ATV/r), darunavir/ritonavir (DRV/r), or raltegravir (RAL). Right common
cells within a vacuole so that the organisms are intracellular but extra cytoplasmic located on the
Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or HIV, is the virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome), and is the most advanced stage of HIV infection. AIDS HIV/AIDS deteriorates a person 's ability to fight infections. It is contracted through unprotected sex or needle sharing. An HIV test checks finding. Medications may subdue the virus and delay the onset of AIDS. HIV/AIDS has had a great impact on society, both as an illness and as a source clear-sightedness. HIV/AIDS cannot be cured but it can be treated, it requires a medical diagnosis, and lab test. (According to 2005-2015 WebMD, “HIV/AIDS Health Center”)
About twenty five years ago a new illness caused serious and severe symptoms that affected people all over the world and there seemed to be no treatment or a cure. “HIV has spread relentlessly from a few widely scattered “hot spots” to virtually every country in the world, infecting 65 million people and killing 25 million.” ("AIDS status & challenges of the epidemic", 2015) AIDS was one of the national and international spread of diseases. Regions that were heavily affected were sub-saharan Africa, The Caribbean, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or HIV, is the virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome), and is the most advanced stage of HIV infection. AIDS HIV/AIDS deteriorates a person 's ability to fight infections. It can be transmitted through direct contact of a mucous member or the bloodstream with a bodily fluid containing HIV, such as blood, semen, vaginal fluid, preseminal fluid and breast milk and through unprotected sex and needle sharing. An HIV test checks finding. Medications may subdue the virus and delay the onset of AIDS. HIV/AIDS has had a great impact on society, both as an illness and as a source clear-sightedness. HIV/AIDS cannot be cured but it can be treated, it requires a medical diagnosis, and lab test. (According to 2005-2015 WebMD, “HIV/AIDS Health Center”)