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Siv Research Paper

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Unlike the plague, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus is species specific and has puzzled many scientist about the possibility of overcoming its harsh implications. This mean that HIV can be found only within a particular species and, in this case, this virus tends to attack the human race. Many blame that the very existence of AIDS emerged from gay people or relations with animals, but it’s believed that transmission of this virus originated from a close derivative of HIV, SIV. SIV in known as Simian Immunodeficiency Virus which the Monkey virus that is equivalent to HIV. It has been known that the development of AIDS started with the transmission of SIV to humans via being bitten by a primates or the consumption of a primate who is infected …show more content…

A common fact about lentiviruses is that they are able to infect a non-dividing cell by introducing that cell with a large viral RNA load. These viruses tend to cause immunodeficiency which, in turn, means that they affect the immune system indefinitely. Transmission of this disease is heavily attributed to sexual intercourse amongst two individuals and amongst the human race. There are other ways to contract this disease such as drugs, organ transplants, blood transfusions and being born to a parent that has the disease. Transmission of the virus via drugs normally involves sharing needles and lack of hygiene. This means if one person has the virus and uses a needle to get a buzz to satiate their cocaine addiction and lets their friend use the same needle, the virus can be passed this way. Organ transplant transmission is caused by the fault of the health professionals. This can be due to improper labeling of an organ that is infected and given to a destitute organ recipient. Another mode of transmission is blood transfusions. Normally, elderly people, for example, receive blood transfusions and are already immunodeficient due to age. In the past, when receiving a transfusion, the needle that is used can be improperly cleaned and injected into the individual who is receiving a blood transfusion. Therefore, there was a direct transmission of the virus into the blood stream to take effect in the body. Lastly, parent …show more content…

Normally, if an individual is already immunosuppressed by another health issue, the addition HIV can only further affect their immunity. When dealing with HIV, the cell-mediated immunity is affected. Components of this immunity, such as T cells and phagocytes that ward off foreign particles that enter the body are greatly reduced. The T cells are depressed by the Human Immunodeficiency virus which allows the body to be easily attacked by any foreign particle. Being immuno-depressed by this virus, promotes difficulty when trying to ward off another virus. An example of this would be if a person who has HIV contracts pneumonia, a health concern where fluid enters the lungs, they would most likely die. This due to the fact that pneumonia was able to invade and take over their immune system because HIV suppressed their immunity and the body was not able to fight off the

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