HIV and AIDS Worldwide

Since its identification approximately two decades ago, HIV has increasingly spread globally, surpassing expectations (1). The number of people living with HIV worldwide is estimated to be 36 million, with 20 million people having died from the disease, giving a total number of 56 million being infected (1). In 2000 alone, 5.3 million people were infected with HIV and there is potential for further spread. HIV infection rates vary all over the world with the highest rates in Sub-Saharan Africa (1). Responding to this epidemic has been a challenge as infection rates have increased worldwide despite tremendous public health efforts by nations (1). The identification of potential interventions to reduce the magnitude of the problem has

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/AIDS is a pandemic problem affecting global health. At the end of 2015, 36.7 million people were living with HIV/AIDS globally. The rate of incidence is more prevalent in Sub-Saharan Africa with almost 1 in every 24 adults living with HIV/AIDS. In the united states, HIV/AIDS is a diversified health problem affecting all sexes, ages and races and involving the transmission of multiple risk behavior. However, with the introduction of various prevention programs and antiretroviral drugs, the incidence of HIV/AIDS has reduced.

The AIDS epidemic, from its beginning, has elicited a variety of responses from individuals and governments alike. Because the disease was originally shrouded in such mystery, many did not know how to react, which fostered a default fear of the unknown response. This attitude lead to many governments adopting a denialist policy, countless individuals living and eventually dying alone due to an unwillingness to report their illness for fear of consequence or prejudice, and this allowed the HIV virus flourish. Several countries responded efficiently and effectively to the presence of the HIV virus in their midst, while other countries maintained an attitude of ignorance. The latter position contributed to a huge expanse of the HIV epidemic

HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus (Avert). It is virus that attacks the immune system, our body’s defense against disease (Avert). Individuals who become infected with HIV will find it harder to fight infections (Avert). HIV is located in semen, blood, vaginal and anal fluids, and breast milk (HIV and Aids). The most common method to become infected is through anal or vaginal sex without a condom (HIV and Aids). Other forms of contraction include using infected needles/ syringes, from mother to child during pregnancy, or breastfeeding (HIV and Aids). If left untreated, AIDS can evolve, this is when a person’s immune system becomes too weak to fight infection and can no longer defend itself (What is AIDS). Despite there not being a cure, an early diagnosis and effective treatment can enable people to live a normal, healthy life (HIV and Aids). This paper will focus on the HIV epidemic. It will compare and contrast HIV in the United States and in Kenya. The paper will review the specific populations affected, testing and counseling centers, funding and economic impact, and prevention programs each country is executing.

Just about two decades ago, HIV/AIDS pandemic was the only thing that is mentioned in social media (Gus “Introduction to HIV/AIDS”). Proved to be originally from Sub Saharan Africa (S.S Africa) region, HIV/AIDS has spread throughout not only the S.S. Africa, but it eventually becomes the global disaster in the late 20th century (Gus). HIV/AIDS has gained attention from the media when the death many patients by the new emerging disease is reported in Europe and US (Satpathy 27). However, these cases directly refer to S.S. Africa because infected patients either are originally from or have travelled around this region (Satpathy 28). In addition, out of 1000 blood samples result taken in Kinshasa in 1970s, scientists have found HIV positive among these blood sample (Satpathy 28). This means that HIV/AIDS have been circulating around this region for at least 10 to 12 years since HIV is an asymptomatic disease (Satpathy 41). However, the HIV/AIDS only becomes an epidemic in S.S. Africa around the late 20th century, shown in statistics that are taken from UNAIDS: Progress Report 1996-1997. Many people blame the poverty in S.S.Africa as the cause for letting this deadly disease out of control. Others criticize the African government for avoiding the responsibility of suppressing this epidemic. Certainly, in order to prevent a further pandemic, we need to study the actual explanation of this epidemic. This arises the question: Why did HIV/AIDS become an epidemic in the late 20th

MSM still accounts for 53-59% of the HIV cases in the US and drug use attributes to 9% of HIV cases (Crooks, Baur 462). Contrary to past beliefs heterosexual contact has been the primary form of HIV transmission worldwide and accounts for about a third of HIV cases. In the past couple years the number of females infected with HIV has steadily been rising. It is stated that adolescent women are highly vulnerable to this disease due to their immature reproductive tracts. To this date a vast majority of AIDS deaths has occurred in Africa, primarily in the sub Saharan nations, which is home to 70% of all people who are living with HIV/AIDS (Crooks, Baur 463). Notably this disease has surely become a very vagarious pandemic of this time.

Since the nineteen hundreds, Africa coped with countless problems related to HIV and AIDS. Anthropologists, scientists, doctors, and psychologists discussed theories related to the issues presented by HIV/AIDS. Researchers study the effects of poverty, polygamy, geography, and social relationships on HIV/AIDS. One of the prevalent theories on how the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) spread is through the increase of sex workers in Africa. An increase in sex work correlates to an increase in poverty. Due to the economy and culture, women turned to sex working as a way of acquiring income. In order to reduce HIV contraction among sex workers and their clients, a change in intervention methods and legislation is needed to protect the rights of those in poverty and stop the spread of HIV/AIDS.

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is an obligate intracellular parasite found exclusively in humans. It is responsible for weakening the immune system and leading to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). The first case of AIDS was diagnosed in the U.S. in 1981, and in 1984 it was first proven that HIV caused AIDS. There is currently a pandemic of HIV/AIDS, with the highest incidence rate in Sub-Saharan Africa and the lowest rates in Western Europe and North America, due to better healthcare.

Over the years, HIV and AIDS has been a growing epidemic. More and more people are being diagnosed with these life-threatening viruses. HIV, which stands for human immunodeficiency virus, is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system. In other words, it interferes with the body's ability to fight the organisms that cause disease (“HIV/AIDS,” 2014). AIDS, which stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, is the last stage of HIV infection. Like in the name, AIDS is acquired; meaning it is not inherited, but is something obtained. People with HIV usually get AIDS in the last stage of the infection (2014). Many people with both of these viruses cannot live a healthy life due to their weak immune system, thus leading to death. This is

Blood-borne diseases have contributed greatly to poor health outcomes among individuals and communities. Though blood fulfills various functions to ensure our survival, it can also act as the mechanism through which we become diseased. Understanding the characteristics of such infectious diseases is essential to preventing further cases. In this paper I will discuss how the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) uses blood to cause illness within the infected individual and transmit to others. In particular, this paper will assess the implications of HIV/AIDS for individuals, between people, and in societies.

HIV/AIDS is becoming a huge complication around the world. More and more countries that are not commonly known to have an issue with AIDS/HIV are developing epidemics. It is common knowledge that South Africa struggles with an HIV/AIDS epidemic, but a lesser known country affected would be Russia. The epidemic spread in Russia because of drug users, prostitutes, and cultural shame. It spread in South Africa because of African men’s refusal to use condoms and polygamous relationships. There are many misconceptions concerning how each country has dealt with HIV/AIDS. Superficially, it may seem that Russia handled AIDS/HIV better politically than South Africa, mainly because of NGOs and other forces outside of the government, but it is clear through the prevention and treatment programs launched by each country that the South African government handled the situation much better because of the government’s open-mindedness and the detailed plan the country launched that was based on human rights, gender equality, and prevention.

Global health issues are diverse in different parts of the world in America it is obesity, in countries such as Indonesia there are health issues related to the quality of water, and finally in Africa aids is the health issues. HIV and AIDS has become on the biggest epidemics in the Sub-Saharan Africa region. There has been an estimated 24.7 million people were living with HIV (Shah, A. n.d). The 24.7 million people represent the seventy-one percent of the aids population in the world (Shah, A. n.d).

The scaling up of ART follows the public health approach of using the standardized and simplified treatment regimens that are consistent with international standards (Bennett et al., 2012). However the treatment with ARV drugs can be accompanied by emergence and transmission of HIV DR. The emergence of HIV DR can limit the treatment options that will need switching to the second-line regimens that is costly and can produce long term toxicities (Bennett et al., 2012). In order to counter the effects of HIV DR, WHO developed a global strategy for the prevention and minimizing the emergence of HIV DR (Bennett et al., 2008, 2012). The WHO strategy involves three elements:

Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases are public health threats that require comprehensive, organized, and evidence-based control and prevention programs. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine formerly known as the Institute of Medicine (IOM) appointed a 19-member multidisciplinary expert council to study the emergence of microbial threats to health and published a report in the United States about emerging infections (1992). The report cited there were six factors that influenced the emergence and re-emergence of infectious pathogens: “Technology and industry; Economic development and land use;

The African continent represents 12% of the worlds population, but Sub-Saharan Africa disproportionately represents nearly 70% of the worlds HIV cases (1). Within that, it has been estimated that there are 6.1 million people living with HIV/AIDS in South Africa, which is the highest number from any country in the world (2), and represents 17% of the global burden of HIV infection (3).