HIV and AIDS 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

Human Immunodeficiency Virus is HIV that develops into AIDS, which is Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. This virus starts to break down white blood cells, as a result the immune system starts to deteriorate and our greatest shield cannot fight any longer (Mayo Clinic, 2016). The CDC (2015) states, that over 1.2 million people live with HIV in the United States and most who are infected are oblivious of their disease. Healthy people 2020 has declared HIV a public health crisis in the United States, and continues to sweep the nation with more than 500,000 new cases each year (HealthyPeople2020,2016).

Being that Blacks/African AMericans make up only 12 percent of the UNited States population, they account for about 44 percent of new HIV infections annually. It is estimated that at least 280,000 Black/African American men and women have died since the the epidemic began. Another race/ethnic group also disportionately affected by HIV/AIDS are Hispanics/Latinos. They make up about 15 percent of the United States population and account for 21 percent of new annual HIV infections. In total both minority groups makes up about 65 percent of HIV/AIDS cases. The likelihood of an African American or Latino male or female contracting the viruses are twice that of their white counterparts (CDC).

It can be transmitted through blood and or unprotected sex. “They are being infected through unprotected sexual intercourse, drug use and babies being born with AIDS because the mother is infected” (Horton). AIDS can cause death and AIDS lowers your immune system until the point to where your body cannot push itself anymore. AIDS is a deadly disease, and since there is not a cure for AIDS many people have died from it. There are currently millions of people living with AIDS. But sadly also more than half of a million of them has died from AIDS. Most people are afraid to do checkups because they afraid to come out positive. If you have had unprotected sex before and you have the following symptoms: Swollen lymph nodes (lymph glands), Diarrhea, Fever, Cough, and unintended weight loss you may need to seek medical attention immediately. You are not vulnerable to AIDS unless you tend to keep doing things that may have you catch it. Also AIDS can be transmitted through breastfeeding. Such things as saliva and tears do not transmit the disease to others. There is a thing called antiretroviral treatment which slows down the process of AIDS for whoever may have it. Doctors say the antiretroviral treatment reduces the risk of death but also is genuinely expensive and has side effects to it. Another thing that the doctors say is that you can live from up to 6 months all the way to 11 years without any treatment. Even though

HIV/AIDS is acquired when there is an unprotected sexual intercourse, exposure to infected blood or body fluids, sharing of needles or syringes with an infected person and from mother to child through breast feeding or vaginal birth. The most prevalent places are the urban cites in the U.S. As discussed earlier, the population at risk for the infection are gay and bisexuals, IV drug users and heterosexuals. Within the first two weeks of acquiring HIV infection, the infected person develops fever usually 100.4degrees, fatigue, sore throat, headache, muscle and joint pains. This normally resolves itself without any intervention. Some people might also develop a digestive and respiratory problem such as nausea &vomiting and dry cough. If untreated, it can result in low TCD4 lymphocyte count below 200 resulting in AIDS. Statistically, from the national level, the most prevalent states in the U.S in

HIV is most commonly spread through having unprotected sex with someone who has HIV. Sharing needles or syringes with someone who has HIV when injecting heroin is also a way to spread HIV. HIV can be transmitted through certain bodily fluids like: blood, semen, pre-seminal fluid, and vaginal and rectal fluids.

HIV which stands for human immunodeficiency virus is a virus that attacks the human infection fighting CD4 cells of the immune system. AIDS which stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, is the most advanced stage of the HIV infection. If HIV is left untreated it leads up to AIDS, and that is when the immune system is too weak to fight off infections or even certain cancers. HIV is spread through certain body fluids such as blood, semen, pre-seminal fluid, vaginal fluids, rectal fluids, and breast milk. In the United States HIV is commonly spread by having sex with someone who is infected or by sharing drug injection needles. HIV is not airborne so you cannot get infected by a simple

HIV and AIDS have affected millions of people throughout the world. Since 1981, there have been 25 million deaths due to AIDS involving men, women, and children. Presently there are 40 million people living with HIV and AIDS around the world and two million die each year from AIDS related illnesses. The Center for Disease Control estimates that one-third of the one million Americans living with HIV are not aware that they have it. The earliest known case of HIV was in 1959. It was discovered in a blood sample from a man in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Looking further into the genetics of this blood sample researchers suggested that it had originated from a virus going back to the late 1940’s or early 1950’s. In 1999,

AIDS, which stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, has a set of symptoms that has caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or HIV. This type of virus is considered to be when a person’s immune system is too weak to defend advanced HIV infections and how it develops certain symptoms and illnesses that will destroy the immune system. Most of the infections are harmless for healthy people, but the ones that have AIDS can die from the same diseases. “There is no cure for HIV and AIDS yet. However, treatment can control

Most of us know about H.I.V, but not all of us fully understand all of the aspects of this disease. Not only are there physical aspects, but also physiological aspects.

Sub-Saharan Africa is the region of the world that is most affected by HIV/AIDS. The United Nations reports that an estimated 25.4 million people are living with HIV and that approximately 3.1 million new infections occurred in 2004. To put these figures in context, more than 60 percent of the people living with the infection reside in Africa. Even these staggering figures do not quite capture the true extent and impact that this disease causes on the continent. In 1998, about 200,000 Africans died as a result of various wars taking place on the continent. In that same year, more than 2 million succumbed to HIV/AIDS (Botchwey, 2000).

What is HIV/AIDS? HIV is an acronym for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This virus can only attack humans, hence the name, and reproduces by taking over the T-cells (or CD4-cells which help fight off infections) and uses them to make copies of itself (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services). Unlike most viruses the human body cannot seem to shake HIV, which means once you have HIV you have it for life. HIV is transmitted through certain bodily fluids and they are blood, semen (including pre-seminal), vaginal secretions, breast milk, and rectal fluids. AIDS, which stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, is the last stage of HIV, but it is important to note that not everyone with HIV will succumb to having AIDS. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (2014) people who acquire AIDS have immune systems that have been severely deteriorated which

HIV is global pandemic stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, weakens the immune system by destroying the important cells in our body that fights against disease and infection. Our immune system is able to clear out most of the viruses from our body, but once you have HIV , you have it for lifelong. HIV can hide in our body cells for long time and it can attack the T cells and CD4 cells, a key part of our immune system to fight infections and diseases. Overtime, the HIV may attack so many of CD4 cells and our body is no more able to fight against infections. When this happens, HIV can lead to AIDS, the final stage of HIV infection. HIV can be transmitted through sexual contact, injection or drug use, pregnancy, breast feeding, occupational exposure, and rarely through blood transfusion and organ

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