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Hiv, Aids, District Of Columbia

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HIV continues to be a global epidemic but the District of Columbia has seen its own epidemic with some of the highest rates of infection in the U.S. HIV/AIDS is a top health problem for health officials in the District of Columbia as many parts of the area face poverty, violence, and limited resources. This paper will introduce the HIV virus by discussing its brief history, the stages, and the current medication available. The District of Columbia will be the center of discussion as the reasons for the high rates; barriers to prevention, and prevention programs are discussed for this specific area and its population. The current prevention program and the measures of effectiveness will conclude this paper. Keywords: HIV, AIDS, District of Columbia

HIV Epidemic Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or better known as HIV, has been in the United States since the mid to late 1970’s. HIV, if left untreated can lead to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome or AIDS. Once HIV is contracted it is a life-long disease and as of today there is no cure for the virus. The virus works by destroying CD4, or T cells, and eventually destroys enough to break down the body’s ability to fight off infection and disease. If left untreated the virus will break down the CD4 cells and once these cell levels drop below 200 cells per cubic millimeters of blood you are then considered to have developed AIDS (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). The virus is thought to of come from West

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