The Immune System HIV/AIDS Essay - 893 Words

HIV is a world pandemic that has caused the death of â€Å"30 million† (CDC – Statistics Overview – Statistics Center – HIV/AIDS, CDC) innocent lives. HIV is devastating virus that destroys people’s immune systems and leaves them vulnerable to other diseases. HIV is an acronym for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, which means that the virus is found only in humans and targets the immune system. The virus kills CD4 cells, cells in the immune system that fight off infections and diseases. HIV has been around since the â€Å"1950’s.† (AIDS, 6) About â€Å"34.2 million† (CDC – Statistics Overview – Statistics Center – HIV/AIDS, CDC) people are living with HIV today. Currently there is no way to remove HIV from your system, because there is no vaccine released to†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"34.2 million† (CDC – Statistics Overview – Statistics Center – HIV/AIDS, CDC) people are liv ing with HIV today. â€Å"97 percent† (Global Statistics, Department of Health and Human Services) of those people live in low and middle income countries, where people don’t have access to prevention, care, and treatment. In â€Å"2010,† (Global Statistics, Department of Health and Human Services) mostly white and homosexual or bisexual men were infected in the United States. However, African Americans are still experiencing the â€Å"most severe burden† (Global Statistics, Department of Health and Human Services) of HIV/AIDS. African Americans are â€Å"44 percent† (Global Statistics, Department of Health and Human Services) of the new infections in â€Å"2010.† (Global Statistics, Department of Health and Human Services)What happens to someone with HIV anyway? There are three main stages to HIV: acute infection, clinical latency, and AIDS. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, â€Å"Within 2-4 weeks after HIV i nfection, many, but not all, people experience flu-like symptoms†¦Symptoms can include: Fever, swollen glands, sore throat, rash, fatigue, muscle and joint aches and pains, and headaches.† (How Do You Get HIV or AIDS? Department of Health and Human Services) â€Å"Weight loss, chills, and sweats† (What Is AIDS? What Is HIV? – Medical News Today, Medilexicon) are also symptoms of an acute infection. The next stageShow MoreRelatedHiv / Aids : A Virus That Attacks One s Immune System989 Words   |  4 PagesIntroduction HIV/AIDS is a virus that attacks one’s immune system, leading to one being immunocompromised and vulnerable to infections (Skolnik, 2012). According to Skolnik (2012), HIV is mainly spread through unprotected sex, through bodily fluids such as blood and can also be transmitted from mother to child through childbirth. HIV/AIDS remains one of the most highly known communicable diseases in South Africa (Avert, 2015). In addition to the 6.2 million people currently living with HIV, World HealthRead MoreThe Pandemic Known As Aids1728 Words   |  7 PagesThe pandemic known as AIDS was first found in a human blood sample around the year 1959 and was later introduced to the United States in the late 1970s to early 1980s. â€Å"From 1979–1981 rare types of pneumonia, cancer, and other illnesses were being reported by doctors in Los Angeles and New York among a number of male patients who had sex with other men (â€Å"Where did HIV come from?†).† Due to these occurrences, doctors did their research and were able to trace the cause of this fatal disease calledRead MoreAids757 Words   |  4 PagesAIDS (Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is a disease caused by a virus called HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). The illness alters the immune syst em, making people much more vulnerable to infections and diseases. This susceptibility worsens as the disease progresses. HIV is found in the body fluids of an infected person (semen and vaginal fluids, blood and breast milk). The virus is passed from one person to another through blood-to-blood and sexual contactRead MoreHiv And The Treatment Of Hiv1510 Words   |  7 PagesIntro: There have been 30 drugs approved to treat Hiv, but currently there are no cures for this virus. The treatment for Hiv can help people live with the virus while taking care of your physical, mental health, and overall well being. Starting treatment as soon as possible it can help your health circumstances and strengthen your immune system. Getting tested for HIV is very important to decrease the spread of the virus and save many lives. Getting tested to know your status in order to avoidRead MoreHIV and Aids are something that have been a major problem in a large part of the world for many1400 Words   |  6 PagesHIV and Aids are something that have been a major problem in a large part of the world for many years. These viruses have destroyed many families and have taken many people’s lives. There are many different ways for a person to receive the virus. As of today, there is still no cure for these horrible diseases. Until scientists and doctors are able to find a medicine that can cure them, many people will continue to be affected by these diseases. This research paper will break down each virusRead MoreHiv And The Immune System948 Words   |  4 PagesWhat is HIV HIV , stands for human immunodeficiency virus, it is a virus that attacks the immune system, the immune system protects the body against infection and illness .If the body does not have a strong immune system, It may not be able fight off disease. The virus and the infection it causes are termed HIV. White blood cells are the part of the immune system that is important as far as fighting off infection. When a person catches HIV it infects and destroys certain white blood cells calledRead MoreReflection Paper on Hiv/Aisd1306 Words   |  6 PagesIntroduction to HIV/AIDS The first cases of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) were reported in the United States in the spring of 1981. By 1983 the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS, had been isolated. Early in the U.S. HIV/AIDS pandemic, the role of substance abuse in the spread of AIDS was clearly established. Injection drug use (IDU) was identified as a direct route of HIV infection and transmission among injection drug users. The largest group of early AIDS casesRead MoreSymptoms And Treatment Of Hiv1493 Words   |  6 PagesThere have been 30 drugs approved to treat Hiv, but currently there are no cures for this virus. Treatments for HIV can help people live with the virus while taking care of their physical, mental health, and overall well being. Starting treatment as soon as possible it can also help your health circumstances and strengthen your immune system. Getting tested for HIV is very important to decrease the spread of the virus and save many lives. Getting tested to know your status in order to avoid illnessesRead MoreHIV And The Treatment Of HIV In West Africa974 Words   |  4 PagesThe virus penetrates the host body, weakens the immune system and can cause a life-threatening disease called AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) (Masthead, 1962). The world health organization estimated that there were approximately 36.7 million people infected with HIV at the end of 2016 (World Health Organization, 2017). There are two types of HIV, i.e. HIV-1 and HIV-2. 95% of the infections that are spread worldwide is HIV-1 and HIV-2 is mainly seen in some West African countries. TheyRead MoreHIV and AIDS1035 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Kristina Nguyen HIV and AIDS The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and the Auto Immune Deficiency Disease (AIDS) are one of the leading killers around the world. Statistics provided by the Joint United Nations Program approximate that over 33 million people have been infected with HIV and AIDS. Of those 33 million, 1.1 million of those carriers are in the United States and even more shockingly, a fifth of those carriers are unaware that they have been infected. The World Health Organization estimated