The Horror of AIDS Virus

1578 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The origin, causes and effects of Aids

The Horror of AIDS Virus
AIDS is a communicable disease that has the ability to damage the immune system. A communicable disease is a type of disease that can spread from a person to a person. The immune system is a structure that conducts several processes to prevent from getting a disease. “The origins of HIV date back to the late nineteenth or early twentieth century in west-central Africa. AIDS and its cause, HIV, were first identified and recognized in the early 1980s” (What Is AIDS... 1). AIDS is the final stage of the HIV infection. The structure of HIV virus is that it has two single strands of RNA which get injected into the host cell. This retrovirus has a membrane like outer cover known as an envelope. These types of viruses can only reproduce when they are attached to the host cell. The stages of the HIV are Initial Exposure, Early HIV Infection, Asymptomatic HIV Infection, PGL, HIV and then AIDS. The number of AIDS patients has increased over time because of the lack of information about the causes, the symptoms, and the prevention techniques of this communicable disease.
“About three to six weeks after exposure to HIV, many individuals develop flu like illness” (Packer 42). Flu like illness is a type of sickness that has same symptoms as flu. This flu like illness is the first stage HIV infection. “The virus uses important immune system cells called CD4 cells to make copies of itself and destroys these cells in the process” ( CDC- What is HIV/AIDS 2).After this stage, then comes the asymptomatic stage and could last for ten years or longer. During this stage the disease is highly infectious because of the high levels of virus in a person’s body. After the Asymptomatic stage comes the PGL (persistent generalized ly...

... middle of paper ...

...lper T cells which protect the body from serious infectious diseases. The lack of information about AIDS is the reason why people tend to get this communicable disease because they have absolutely no clue about how badly they are damaging their body which can shorten their life time in this beautiful world. The causes of AIDS are sexual intercourse, needle sharing, drug use and from a mother to a child. The symptoms of this virus are similar to the flu symptoms like fever, headache and etcetera. The prevention is possible only if the people would be smart enough about making right choices because their one mistake could make them suffer for life. If a person want to have sexual intercourse, then they should be comfortable about asking there partner about if their partner has AIDS. If a person is shy to do this then the right decision to not have sexual intercourse.

Show More
Related

  • Edward Koch and AIDS in New York City

    1990 Words  | 4 Pages

    Human immunodeficiency virus infection / acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a disease of the human immune system transmitted between people by the mixing of bodily fluids. It is an extremely deadly disease that has killed over thirty-six mi...

    Read More

  • Nt1310 Unit 1 Assignment

    1161 Words  | 3 Pages

    According to Hirsch at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC,2014), “more than 1.1 million people in the United States are living with HIV infection. Almost one in six of this group are unaware that they are infected”. Not knowing that you have a HIV is a bad thing because it not good to wait so late to have test done. Some symptoms of the early stage of being infected with HIV are deeply pained headaches, very high fevers a sweating a lot. The sweating and fever could lead to Flu or mononucleosis, which could make the whole infection even worse. Bad thing about this infection the first month or two the symptoms go away after that. During the early stages of being infected a person is very infectious. Some of the symptoms

    Read More

  • History of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

    5174 Words  | 11 Pages

    Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), specific group of diseases or conditions that result from suppression of the immune system, related to infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). A person infected with HIV gradually loses immune function along with certain immune cells called CD4 T-lymphocytes or CD4 T-cells, causing the infected person to become vulnerable to pneumonia, fungus infections, and other common ailments. With the loss of immune function, a clinical syndrome (a group of various illnesses that together characterize a disease) develops over time and eventually results in death due to opportunistic infections (infections by organisms that do not normally cause disease except in people whose immune systems have been greatly weakened) or cancers.

    Read More

  • Stigmatization and Discrimination: Living with HIV/AIDS in Canada

    1853 Words  | 4 Pages

    According to the Public Health Agency of Canada HIV – the Human Immunodeficiency Virus - is a virus that attacks the immune system, resulting in a chronic, progressive illness that leaves people vulnerable to opportunistic infections and cancers. (Canada 2008) Essentially over time, when your body can no longer battle the virus it progresses into a disease know as Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome or AIDS. The transmition of HIV occurs when a person’s contaminated body fluids enter another individual. Unprotected sexual intercourse (vaginal, anal or oral), sharing needles, using unsterilized equipment for body modification, mother to infant transmition, as well as occupational exposure in health care are all ways HIV can be spread. HIV/AIDS as an illness is relatively new. The first reported case of AIDS in the world was in 1981, and a year later in Canada. Scientists all around the world are busy searching for a cure or vaccine to treat the millions of people internationally dying of HIV/AIDS.

    Read More

  • Some Myths and Facts about AIDS

    664 Words  | 2 Pages

    suffer alone.  The purpose of this paper is to point out some of the myths

    Read More

  • Treatment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

    1105 Words  | 3 Pages

    HIV goes through several different movements before it leads to AIDs. The first step is the serioconversion illness. This symptoms of this illness is very similar to the flu and an affected individual will typically experience this 1-2 months after connection with HIV. The next phase is asymptomatic infection in which the patient does not have any symptoms. During this step the immune system is starting to go downhill. A great deal depends on how long this phase will last such as, how fast the HIV virus replicates and how the patient’s body deals with the virus. Some patients can stay in this phase for almost 10 years without any signs or symptoms. Persistent generalized lymphadenopathy is when the lymph nodes become infected and enlarged. The HIV affected patient can endure swollen glands during any stage of the disease. The next phase of the disease is symptomatic infection. During this time symptoms will reveal themselves and often opportunistic infections, but AIDS has not developed yet (Masur H, 2007). The final phase is AIDS. The patient’s CD4 T-cell count is below 200 cells/mm3 and the patient is starting to have severe immunodeficiency. Patient begins to have severe opportunistic infections an...

    Read More

  • Magic Johnson Foundation Essay

    1826 Words  | 4 Pages

    AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV infection. “HIV attacks and destroys the infection-fighting CD4 cells of the immune system. The loss of CD4 cells makes it difficult for the body to fight infections and certain cancers. Without treatment, HIV can gradually destroy the immune system and advance to AIDS” Because this epidemic was established back in the 1980’s, it is a disease that is now very hard to get rid of because it has already been transmitted all over the world. This is a key reason for big organizations, such as Magic Johnson’s, being created so they can help treat and prevent HIV/AIDS as much as possible. Also, to help publicize the significance behind awareness of how HIV spreads and how much it can affect people’s health and

    Read More

  • AIDS in African American Community

    1310 Words  | 3 Pages

    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 an epidemic that is increasing among the African American population with roots tracing back to Africa, AIDS and HIV needs greater exposure and more awareness within the African American community and in the homosexual community.

    Read More

  • Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

    1450 Words  | 3 Pages

    Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retro virus that causes AIDS. HIV is a virus that can only be contracted between human to human. HIV weakens your immune system because this virus is destroying cells that fight diseases and infection in your body. A virus can only produce itself by taking over a cell in the body of its h...

    Read More

  • The Origin of HIV/AIDS

    806 Words  | 2 Pages

    Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) leads to the life threatening Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). HIV only lives in the blood and other bodily fluids. Concentrations of HIV are small in vomit, sweat, tears, and saliva and cannot be transmitted by those fluids. The main transmission is through fluids like semen, vaginal fluids, and rectal mucous during sexual contact, breast milk and amniotic fluid passing to children, and blood during transfusions and exposure. Beginning stages of HIV start with the acute infection. During the first 2 weeks to a month after exposure to the HIV infection, most infected individuals with display symptoms of a severe flu. The symptoms include fever, swollen glands, sore throat, rash, muscle and joint aches and pains, fatigue, and headache. The early period of infection is known as the “acute retroviral syndrome” (Stages, 2013). Once the virus is out of the acute stage it enters into the latency stage where it continues to replicate but no symptoms are shown. As the infection progresses and the immune system beco...

    Read More

  • Hiv / Aids ( Hiv )

    1489 Words  | 3 Pages

    Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is an enveloped retrovirus. It affects the immune system and the body loses its ability to fight diseases. It is mainly transferred by sexual contact. However, it can also be transmitted by contact with body fluid like blood, breast milk and so on (CDC, 2016). A patient is said to have AIDS when he/her suffer from many opportunistic infections (CDC, 2016).

    Read More

  • HIV and AIDS: The Epidemic

    1638 Words  | 4 Pages

    HIV and AIDS have affected millions of people throughout the world. Since 1981, there have been 25 million deaths due to AIDS involving men, women, and children. Presently there are 40 million people living with HIV and AIDS around the world and two million die each year from AIDS related illnesses. The Center for Disease Control estimates that one-third of the one million Americans living with HIV are not aware that they have it. The earliest known case of HIV was in 1959. It was discovered in a blood sample from a man in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Looking further into the genetics of this blood sample researchers suggested that it had originated from a virus going back to the late 1940’s or early 1950’s. In 1999, researchers had discovered that HIV is derived from chimpanzees native to west equatorial Africa. This epidemic is spreading throughout countries and infecting 14 thousand victims every day. Learning about HIV includes knowing how to contract the virus, understanding most of the people it affects, how to prevent the spread of it, and knowing what treatments are available.

    Read More

  • The History of HIV

    1456 Words  | 3 Pages

    Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) first came to light in 1981. There has been a long and arduous global effort on the prevention of HIV/AIDS. HIV is a virus that is spread through body fluids that affect the specific T-cells of the immune system. Without treatment HIV infection leads to AIDS and there is no cure for AIDS. HIV infection can be controlled and the importance of primary pre...

    Read More

  • AIDS: cause And Effect

    752 Words  | 2 Pages

    In 1981, a new fatal, infectious disease was diagnosed--AIDS (Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome). It began in major cities, such as New York, Los Angeles, Miami, and San Francisco. People, mostly homosexual men and intravenous drug users, were dying from very rare lung infections or from a cancer known as Kaposi’s sarcoma. They have not seen people getting these diseases in numerous years. Soon, it also affected hemophiliacs, blood recipients, prostitutes and their customers, and babies born from AIDS-infected women. AIDS was soon recognized as a worldwide health emergency, and as a fatal disease with no known cure, that quickly became an epidemic. When high-profile victims began to contract the virus, such as basketball star Magic Johnson, the feeling spread quickly that anyone, not just particular groups of people, could be at risk. AIDS impairs the human body’s immune system and leaves the victim susceptible to various infections. With new research, scientists think that the disease was first contracted through a certain type of green monkey in Africa, then somehow mutated into a virus that a human could get. AIDS is a complicated illness that may involve several phases. It is caused by a virus that can be passed from person to person. This virus is called HIV, or Human Immuno-deficiency Virus. In order for HIV to become full-blown AIDS, your T-cell count (number of a special type of white-blood cells that fight off diseases) has to drop below 200, or you have to get one of the symptoms of an AIDS-induced infection.

    Read More

  • The Impact of HIV/AIDS

    1068 Words  | 3 Pages

    Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a fatal physical condition that is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The virus damages the human body’s immune system, so that the body cannot protect itself from bacteria, viruses, and prions that cause diseases. With severely lowered defenses, AIDS patients die from common illnesses such as pneumonia, diarrhea, cold, and tuberculosis. The HIV virus does not directly attack its victim; the disease that patients suffer from after receiving the virus is what hurts and kills them. AIDS is a disease that is transmitted easily through unprotected sexual intercourse, sharing of needles, blood transfusion, and childbirth.

    Read More

More about The Horror of AIDS Virus

Open Document