Hiv / Aids : A Virus That Attacks One 's Immune System

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic, potentially life-threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). AIDS weakens the immune system hampering the body’s defense mechanisms. AIDS is known to be a deadly disease, especially if it is not treated in a timely manner. AIDS and HIV is

HIV/AIDS: A global health system Rita K. Asiedu Rutgers University Abstract 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.

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

In South Africa, AIDS is one of the top causes of death. South Africa has the biggest AIDS/HIV epidemic in the world because of violence against women, poverty, and lack of education. Given this, “Africans account for nearly 70% of those who live with HIV and are dying of AIDS” (Morgenstern, Dr. Michael).

Stephan Ziccardi Professor Becher ENC 1101 October 24th, 2015 Since the discovery of the HIV virus in 1983, there have been many precautions taken to control and prevent the spreading of this deadly disease. Helen Epstein, who is the author of “AIDS Inc,” informs her readers about the sexually transmitted disease known as the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Epstein enlightens her audience with crucial information in regards to the ruthless disease that is devouring the lives of innocent people, typically in Africa, where people are especially prone to acquiring AIDS. South Africa, having one of the highest amounts of rape crimes in the world, is also home to the highest amount of people living with HIV in the world, at about

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.

In 2014, 1.2 million people died from HIV and its related causes. In the same year, about 36.9 million people were living with HIV. Among these, 2 million were newly infected in 2014. The rate of infection has reduced by 35% between the years of 2000 and 2015. Between the same years, mortality due to HIV fell by 24%. The area with the most HIV/AIDS victims is Sub-Saharan Africa. In this region, 25.8 million people were living with HIV in 2014. The region also has 70% of the newly infected victims in the world. It is very unfortunate that more than 50% of people with HIV know that they have it. HIV testing efforts have improved with 150 million in 129 low and middle income counties getting tested. It was reported in 2015 that 15.8 million people were receiving antiretroviral therapy (World Health Organization,

On the other hand, HIV, which stands for human immunodeficiency virus, is most prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa, which has 62% of the world’s HIV cases. Because sub-Saharan Africa is home to 70% of the poorest people in the world, people lack the skills and the money they need to survive. Therefore, the only way they can get their basic needs is the risky behavior. For example, women have to engage in sexual transactions for commercial

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the majority of people in the world living with HIV/AIDS reside in Sub-Saharan Africa. Since there is currently no vaccine to prevent the spread of the infection, there have been countless attempts in the past to control the spread of HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa. There are multiple ways of infection spread in Sub-Saharan Africa. People are contracting the disease through, drug use, sexual relations, giving birth, and blood-to-blood contact. With so many ways to contract the infection it makes the prevention of spreading the infection so difficult, especially in such a low-income country. These challenges have not stopped many scientists, educators, and health-care professionals create interventions to try and stop the wildfire, that is the spread of HIV/AIDS in Sub- Saharan Africa. Most interventions have failed and some have helped. There are a huge amount of factors that need to be carefully thought about when creating an intervention. What looks good on paper may not work for the culture of a country. Making all people in sub- Saharan Africa listen, understand and act on a plan is nearly impossible.

Overall, the crisis of HIV/AIDS, especially in sub-Saharan Africa is still a major issue. Perhaps the biggest factor is that developed nations have become fairly complacent when considering the disease, as not only has its prevalence dropped significantly in most areas, but treatment through anti-retroviral regimens has managed to increase an infected person’s lifespan to a level almost matching an uninfected person’s average lifespan. Those in sub-Saharan Africa face several key issues with this disease. A lack of education regarding HIV/AIDS and a lack of health care facilities and medication to combat HIV/AIDS are perhaps two of the largest. The country unfortunately faces an upcoming crisis, with the youngest generation’s parents and caregivers becoming too sick or succumbing to the disease before vital education, such as the ability to farm a landscape suffering from desertification, is passed on (Sowing Seeds of Hunger).

HIV/AIDS is a significant public health concern and a leading cause of death in many parts of Africa. Although Africa is home to about approximately 15 percent of the world's population, the same region is the world's epicenter of HIV/AIDS. The numbers are overwhelming as adult HIV occurrence is 1.2 percent around the world but it is approximately 9.0 percent in sub-Saharan Africa. UNAIDS (The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS) estimated that at the end of the year 2001, there were 39.8 million people living with HIV/AIDS, 28.5 million of them from sub-Saharan African alone. Another 4.9 million adults and children were newly infected with HIV/AIDS in the year 2001, 3.5 million of them from sub-Saharan Africa. An estimated 3 million people died from AIDS-related causes in 2001 and of these deaths, 2.2 million were among sub-Saharan Africans. Sub-Saharan Africa alone accounts for an assessed 71.3 percent of all individuals living with HIV/AIDS and approximately 70 percent of all total AIDS deaths in the year 2011 alone (AVERT).

Alice Oliver Color of AIDS – Final Exam May 9th, 2015 UNAIDS v. The Chinese Government: The Battle to Eradicate AIDS in China While the spread of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus has been a major infectious pandemic seen across the globe, for approximately the past forty years, the majority of

HIV is a virus that affects human immune systems making them susceptible to a variety of diseases that may prove fatal to the patient. Apparently the most affected by this disease are people who live in the developing countries and the African continent. The Sub-Saharan Africa faces the highest HIV prevalence rate. In this region, South Africa faces greater problems associated with HIV and the effects are vast and devastating. As such, the government, organizations and regional organizations come together to fight the menace. This paper seeks to propose that South Africa is actively engaged in HIV control by exploring the various ways in which it undertakes to control and prevent the long suffering of the infected persons as well as

1.1 The HIV Pandemic: The ongoing Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) pandemic has and continues to devastate many individuals across the globe, leaving children orphaned, families fractured, and local economies disrupted. The first known and confirmed case of HIV infection dates back to 1959 [1], however AIDS-related pathologies were not recognized as interrelated outcomes from the same disease until 1981 when clusters of young, homosexual men in New York City and Los Angeles began presenting with Pneumocystis pneumonia and Kaposi’s sarcoma [2,3], illnesses most often associated with compromised immunity. The causative agent of this immunodeficiency, initially known as Human T-Lymphotropic Virus, type III, now known as HIV, was first discovered in 1983 by French and American scientists [4,5]. Since this discovery, an estimated 39 million people have died from HIV/AIDS, and over 35 million people are living with HIV today with an estimated 2.1 million new infections believed to occur each year based on the most recent data from the World Health Organization (WHO) [6]. Sub-Saharan Africa represents the most heavily burdened region with women disproportionately affected; accounting for 58% of HIV infected individuals. Furthermore, young women, aged 15-24 from this area represented 60% of all newly infected individuals in 2013 [7]. Young women therefore represent a unique group at high risk for acquiring HIV, and reasons for this increased susceptibility require further

Comfort Senesie Dr. DeJoy HIV/AIDS in South Africa Africa is arguably the poorest continent in the world as shown by statistics from World Health Organization, United Nation Children’s Fund and the World Bank. Growing up in Africa, I have been a first- hand witness to abject poverty which I believe is