The Human Immunodeficiency Virus ( Hiv ) Essay

According to Bell (2011), the infection of the HIV virus mainly spreads through a sexual contact or blood to blood contact with an infected person. HIV spreads mainly through sexual intercourse-whether heterosexual or homosexual- where one of the partners is infected, transfusion of blood which is infected by the HIV virus, through the blood and blood products. The sharing of infected syringes or sharp needles can lead to HIV transmission. HIV is passed on by an infected mother towards her unborn child through the placenta. HIV does not spread through biting of mosquitoes, casual embracing, holding or touching an infected person, shaking hands with an infected person, coughing, sharing of public toilets or sharing meals or eating from the same plates. HIV cannot be transmitted through sharing clothes or attending similar schools or even working together.

In the 1980s, a mysterious disease began to take the lives of Americans. With the cause unknown, a fear grew among Americans. An unusually high rate of people was becoming sick with strange and rare diseases. When experimental treatments failed to work, people died. This mysterious disease is what we now know as HIV–Human Immunodeficiency Virus. In the past thirty-five years, the HIV has taken many turns in history. Although we do not hear about HIV and AIDS now, it is still a prevalent issue in the United States and in the world.

Epidemiologist: This role involves learning about the pattern and incidence of how the disease is transmitted and works to help find community prevention solutions. The portals of entry for HIV: skin via Injection or trauma, mucous membranes of mouth, penis, vagina and rectum during sexual activity, placenta to child during pregnancy. Portals of exit: blood, semen, pre-ejaculate, vaginal secretions and breast milk. Reservoirs: human blood, semen and vaginal secretions. The mode(s) of transmission: unprotected sex exposing mucous membranes to infected fluids, injection using contaminated needle, infusion from contaminated blood transfusion, accidental prick from contaminated needle, having an open wound come into contact with infected blood; virus passing from mother to baby through placenta, to baby through breast milk, or via interaction with vaginal secretions during birth. However HIV cannot be transmitted through saliva, tears or urine (Merck Manual, 2003).

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that mainly attacks the T-Cell which are used in the immune system to fight off infections. HIV left untreated leads to the disease AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). When T-Cell accounts are sparse, the body is predisposed to getting infections. (aids.gov) HIV is transmitted parenteral or sexually. (Palmisano, Vella) Around 1 and 4 people living with HIV in the United States are women. In 2014 women made up 19% (8,328) of estimate HIV diagnosis in the United States. (cdc.gov) In the 19% of women infected with HIV, many of whom are mothers, affects the life expectancy of infants during the pregnancy, birth, and gestational period.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus, more commonly known as HIV, started as a serious illness and eventually led to death rapidly. About thirty years ago HIV was discovered as a transition from chimpanzees to humans in West Africa. The researchers believed that the chimpanzee version of the immunodeficiency virus most likely was transmitted to humans and mutated when humans hunted these chimpanzees for food, coming into contact with their infected blood. Over the years, the virus slowly spread across Africa and later into other parts of the world, such as the United States (“Where did HIV come from” all). In the U.S, 4,000 people are diagnosed with HIV every year (“HIV/AIDS at A Glance”). Instead having any symptoms or signs of this epidemic illness, the rate of victims grew greatly (“What is HIV”). As a result, HIV is not completely curable, but there are ways to control it. Testing positive for HIV now provides updates of additional information not known about including causes, signs, treatment, and prevention. The lack of knowledge on sexually transmitted diseases aren’t fulfilled as they should be.

HIV is spread by sexual contact or blood-to-blood contact. HIV is most commonly spread by sexual contact, including vaginal, anal and oral sex. Another important mode of transmission is the sharing of needles used for intravenous drug use. HIV can be acquired from mother to fetus during pregnancy or from breast milk during nursing. Blood transfusions are becoming a rarer source in developed countries because donated blood is now tested for the presence of HIV. Healthcare workers must take extra precautions because they can contract HIV if stuck by an infected needle or if infected blood contacted their mucous membranes. Individuals with other STDs are at increased risk of contracting HIV.

Human immunodeficiency virus, also referred to as HIV, is a virus that weakens the body’s immune system which restricts it from fighting infectious diseases (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2016). HIV can be transmitted through body fluids such as blood, semen, breast milk, or sexual contact (CDC, 2016). There are three stages as HIV progresses; the first stage takes place within the first month it is acquired. These early symptoms are often confused with a cold as they include fatigue, headache, rash, and sore throat (CDC, 2016). If HIV is left untreated, it becomes more severe and advances to the last stage known as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). As the disease progresses, patients being experiencing

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) spread quickly across the continent of Africa unfortunately taking many lives and creating a burden on the countries affected. In 2011 South Africa was declared the highest population living with the virus (reference). With a growing number of individuals affected by the virus the South African government found an increased need for health care services. However, many nurses and health care providers became ill or had died from the virus, thus creating a need for the government to develop a home-based care policy (reference).

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome, also known as AIDS is a disease that gradually attacks breaks down the human immune system that starts out with the virus called HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus. AIDS makes it impossible for the people suffering with the disease to fight off simple infections and viruses that normal, healthy individuals wouldn’t be affected by. It’s not the virus that actually kills the individual, it’s the small scale outside infections, tumors, and viruses that kills the person because the AIDS virus destroys that person’s immune system, which is the only defense we have against viruses.

One way that blood is used by HIV/AIDS is to cause illness within those who become infected. While pathogens may be spread through various routes, the HIV virus is commonly transmitted by blood and other bodily fluids because it does not survive for a long duration outside of the body (Avert, 2014b). Though previous studies have reported the potential of HIV to thrive in an external environment for several weeks, the survival of the virus is dependent on several factors including quantity of the fluid, virus concentration, and the surrounding temperature and acidity (Aidsmap, 2015). As such, HIV is transmitted best when it comes into direct contact with people. The optimal route of exposure is through the bloodstream or mucous membranes of the body (AIDS.gov, 2014a). Pathways of the blood allow the HIV virus to contact and destroy immune cells. Individuals may feel flu-like symptoms a few weeks after being infected. However, many are unaware of their infection, though contagious, until later stages of the disease (World Health Organization [WHO], 2014). The destructive actions of HIV lead to increased susceptibility to other infections and the development of certain cancers, which characterizes the later stage of HIV known as AIDS (WHO, 2014). Blood has shown to greatly contribute to the ability of HIV to thrive in

HIV is the human immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS. A member of a group of viruses called retroviruses, HIV infects human cells and uses the energy and nutrients provided by those cells to grow and reproduce. AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is a disease in which the body's immune system breaks down and is unable to fight off certain infections, known as "opportunistic infections," and other illnesses that take advantage of a weakened immune system. When a person is infected with HIV, the virus enters the body and lives and multiplies primarily in the white blood cells. These are the immune cells that normally protect us from disease.

“Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), is among the greatest threats to health worldwide. In 2005, an estimated 38.6 million people were living with HIV. During 2005 alone, about 4.1 million people became infected and another 2.8 million lost their lives.”1 “With around 15 percent of the population living with HIV. Zimbabwe is experiencing one of the harshest HIV and AIDS epidemics in the world. Between 2002 and 2006, the population is estimated to have decreased by four million people. The country is now seeing an annual growth rate of 2.2 percent. Average life expectancy is just under 53.7. By 2011, there were one million children living in Zimbabwe who had been orphaned as a result

Women with drug addictions has conclusively linked with HIV/ AIDS since this epidemic has started. HIV is the acronym for human immunodeficiency virus and it causes the immune system to become weak. As a result, this causes the body to be terrible at protecting itself against diseases and other viruses. HIV causes damage by harming the immune cells in the body. The immune cells it affects are called CD4 positive (CD4+) T cells, which are vital for fighting infections in the body. HIV metamorphose the CD4+T cells into little factories that cause the production of more of the virus to destroy other healthy cells, which eventually destroys the CD4+ T cells. When a person has less than 200 in cell count, the patient diagnosed with the disease AIDS. HIV/AIDS and its link to drugs is involved when risky behaviors are involved when transmitting or contracting the deadly disease. Since AIDS is not cure-able, prevention of transmission can be avoided is very important to understand in sexual education. Some treatments and therapies are given to drug abusers, which aid these goals of sexual education. The immune system weakens when the T cells are lost and as a result, a person becomes more subject to infections and common illnesses, to help slow this process down, special medicine is distributed to the person infected with the virus. Some medicines and remedies are given to HIV patients to help lower the risk of transmission and advancement of the disease. In addition, it helps

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

AIDS, The full form is Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome is caused by a virus called HIV (Human Immune Deficiency Virus). It is a condition in which the built in defence system of the body breaks down completely. This phenomenon is gradual but ultimately leads to total depletion of a very important cell component of the immune mechanism. Thus those who are affected are unable to combat with common diseases including even mild infections since his/her immunity is knocked out and body resistance is reduced.AIDS was recognized for the first time in the USA in 1981.In India it was identified in after 5 years in May 1986. In October 1985 the health authorities of the