preview

The Immunodeficiency Syndrome Virus ( Aids )

Decent Essays

The acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), which results form an infection called the human immunodeficiency syndrome virus (HIV) is a global epidemic that has taken numerous amounts of lives. There are two forms of HIV that are linked to AIDS, HIV-1 and HIV-2 (Crooks, Baur 460). HIV-1 is a virus that is constantly mutating and it is the first human immunodeficiency virus to be recognized as the leading cause of AIDS world wide, then we have HIV-2, which only occurs in some African countries (Crooks, Baur 460). In the 1980s the number of AIDS cases in the United States grew rapidly each year and eventually began to stabilize.
This epidemic and the number of people suffering from the disease has been underestimated by federal …show more content…

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. To help reduce our risk of contracting this deadly disease we must take that power into our own hands. Knowing the HIV can be found in blood, saliva, vaginal secreions, semen, urine and breast milk can lead us in the right path of protecting ourselves. It is proven that bodily fluids such as blood, semen, and vaginal secretion contains the highest concentration of the virus. Implementing thing such as avoiding anal intercourse, avoiding sexual contact with sex workers, avoiding sexual intercourse during menstruation and also avoiding oral contact with the anus can help limit our chances of contracting this virus since 80% of HIV cases are through sexual contact (Crooks, Baur 476).

Get Access