Hiv And Aids : Hiv / Aids

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection is a long-term (chronic) viral infection. HIV kills white blood cells that help to control the body's defense system (immune system) and fight infection. HIV spreads through semen, pre-seminal fluid, blood, breast milk, rectal fluid, and vaginal fluid. HIV is commonly spread through sexual contact and sharing needles or syringes, because these behaviors involve exchanging bodily fluids. Without treatment, HIV can turn into AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), an advanced stage of HIV infection. AIDS is a very serious illness and can be life-threatening.

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

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.

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that causes AIDS (auto immunodeficiency syndrome – the final stage of HIV) can be classified as one of the most devastating epidemics in United States history (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2015). Although still an alarming concern in public health, due to prevention strategies and medical advances, the disease is less fatal and is treated as a chronic disease (instead of a death sentence, as in the past). There are currently 1.2 million people living in the US with HIV (CDC, 2015). The highest rates transmitted through sexual intercourse or injection drug use through the exchange of bodily fluids (CDC, 2015). It is estimated that 25% of those living with HIV are women, and only

Globally, there is good news. In 2011 the World Health Organization (WHO) claimed that the HIV/AIDs epidemic was declining in their “Global HIV/AIDS Response” progress report (Progress Report 2011). Each continent and region, however, showed different changes in their rates of HIV/AIDS (Progress Report 2011). In North America, and specifically in the United States, the incidence of HIV has been constant for the past several years (Progress Report 2011). Despite the stability of this disease, the proportions of who is becoming infected are alarming (Progress Report 2011).

In the early 1970’s, scientists in Japan and the United States began to study animal retroviruses to gain further knowledge about viruses that caused leukemia. Although animal retroviruses existed in non-human primates, it was believed that human retroviruses did not exist. However, after the T-cell lymphtropic virus was isolated from a patient with cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, the human T-cell leukemia/lymphoma virus (HTLV) became the first human retrovirus discovered and marked the beginning of scientific milestones.

Societies have been devastated by a number of epidemiological outbreaks, but few diseases have been as antagonistic as the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The global transmission of this disease has been perpetuated by the ease of long distance travel and immigration (Magis-Rodriguez, 2004; Xu et al., 2014). Throughout the past 35 years the course of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), as well as patterns of immigration, have changed immensely. Given the increase in both HIV and immigration, specifically in North Carolina (NC), this dissertation will focus mostly on changes, concerns, and strengths pertaining to the screening and treatment for HIV among Latino immigrants in NC. The

HIV, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, was first discovered by CDC in 1981 [3], then described as HTLV-III in 1983 and was later changed into its current name. Ever since its emergence, this virus has caused millions of infections throughout the world, with most of the cases originating in the African region [1]. This retrovirus has made it difficult in the past for scientists to treat it since it changes its RNA once inside the cell to DNA, through the enzyme reverse transcriptase, and keeps changing its genetic information making it difficult to target a specific genome. The main concern of HIV is the development into AIDS, Acquired Immunodeficiency Disorder, which targets the body’s own T-cells through targeting the CD4 and co-receptors leading to various opportunistic infections and, eventually, death.

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is an immune system disorder that can be contracted through sexual activity as well as other types of contact. (Healthy Living, pg. 79) If left untreated this virus can turn into AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). AIDS is the final stage of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). (aids.gov) AIDS is an incurable progressive disease that causes gradual destruction of CD4 T cells by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). (Diseases, pg. 431) A healthy adult has a CD4 T cell count of 1,000 or more but a person suffering from HIV could have a count lower than 200. CD4 T cells are crucial to the immune system; without them the immune system would not have the ability to fight off infections.

Although advancements in AIDS research have continued over the past 2 decades, the misconception that people can contract the AIDS virus from sharing a drink is still prevalent. Aids is a major issue throughout the world and kills many people. One of the problems with aids is that it can kill people. A current solution for aids is there are medicines that people suffering from aids take and these medicines increase a person with aids life span. A future plan for aids is to find a cure so that people stop dying from aids. Aids is a recurring problem throughout history and it needs to be stopped so people stop dying.

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains a major public health challenge worldwide (Sepkowitz, 2001). HIV is a microscopic organism that attacks and destroys the immune system (Carter and Hughson, 2014). This has caused 35 million people to be diagnosed with the disease and an estimated 39 million people dying from HIV related causes since the beginning of the epidemic (World Health Organisation (WHO), 2016). The United Kingdom (UK) experienced a five percent rise in HIV diagnosis from 2012-2013 resulting in 107,800 patients being diagnosed with HIV (Public Health England (2014). This figure has led the UK to having one of the fastest growing HIV epidemics in Europe (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, 2013). HIV still remains incurable with no effective vaccines in place, nonetheless measures have been put in place to curb its transmission (Munier et al, 2011). The introduction of antiretroviral therapy has triggered a decrease in replication of HIV in the infected host (Connor, et al., 1994).

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.

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a lentivirus (a subgroup of retrovirus) that causes HIV infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). AIDS is a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to thrive. Without treatment, average survival time after infection with HIV is estimated to be 9 to 11 years, depending on the HIV subtype. Infection with HIV occurs by the transfer of blood, semen, vaginal fluid, pre-ejaculate, or breast milk. Within these bodily fluids, HIV is present as both free virus particles and virus within infected immune cells.

33.3 million people are infected or living with HIV, of which 22.5 million are in sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, of the2.5 million children in the world estimated to be living with HIV, 2.3 million are in sub-Saharan Africa. Southern Africa, the most affected region, includes a number of middle- and lower-middle-income nations known as the hyperendemic countries. In South Africa alone, there are about 5.7 million people living with HIV/AIDS. In Swaziland, 42 per cent of women attending antenatal clinics are infected, with similar rates found elsewhere in the region. Many children are affected by the disease in a number of ways: they live with sick parents and relatives in households drained of resources due to the epidemic, and those who have lost parents are less likely to go to school or continue with their education.Studies in the regions of Southern Africa and South-East Asia have found HIV/AIDS to negatively impact both the demand for and supply of education.1,2 Orphaned children are either pulled out of school or not enrolled at all due to the financial constraints of their affected families, and have to assume responsibilities of heading or providing for households. In this respect, girls are more vulnerable. In Kenya, links were found between parental deaths and children 's progress through school. In Tanzania, households that have experienced an adult death have been found to delay the enrolment of younger children in school, but try to keep older children

The HIV virus poses one of the biggest viral threats to human society today. It