Anatomy, Physiology & Disease - Assignment Example

Anatomy, Physiology, and Disease Anatomy, physiology, and disease One of the es of disease that causes the largest threat to public health today is communicable disease. According to Hall, Hall and Cockerell (2011), the spread of communicable diseases is today expedited by urbanization, poverty, as well as issues of climate change that change peoples behavior hence the spread. Communicable diseases also poses the largest health threat due to the fact that they can easily be spread from one person to another. There has been improvement in terms of the impacts of communicable disease as a result of advancements in technology and continuing studies aimed at mitigating their effects, and as well reducing their incidences (Hall, Hall and Cockerell, 2011).
A good example of communicable disease that poses a huge threat to public health include HIV/AIDS. This disease is easy to diagnose; the most common diagnosis is through blood tests. In essence, testing is done in order to identify the presence of antibodies created in the body in an effort to fight the HIV (Holland, Olsen and Florey, 2007). It is worth noting that the disease is caused by a virus known as Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Some of the signs and symptoms of HIV/AIDS according to Hall, Hall and Cockerell (2011) include weight loss, diarrhea, coughing, dermatitis, herpes, TB, unrelenting wounds, and abscesses.
Prevention of HIV/AIDS depends on the mode of transmission. It can be transmitted through sexual intercourse, blood transfusion, and transmission from a pregnant mother to the unborn child. Prevention of the disease in relation to sexual transmission is achieved through the use of condoms and sex education. Blood ought to be screened thoroughly before transfusion to detect the presence of the disease. Pregnant mothers also ought to be tested and subsequent treatment given in case of presence of the disease (Ramaiah, 2008).
Antiretroviral drugs are used to treat the disease. These drugs are taken on a daily basis in a bid to minimize the amount of the HIV virus in the body (Ramaiah, 2008). There are also post-exposure prophylaxis medications that are used for emergency treatments when an individual has been exposed to the virus (Hall, Hall and Cockerell, 2011). There is however no known cure for the disease. These medication are only used to reduce the amount of HIV in the body in order to allow the body fight infections. Epidemiological studies have proved that HIV is transmitted through three routes namely sexual transmission, exposure to contaminated blood, and mother to child transmission. The ability of the body to maintain homeostasis is affected by HIV/AIDS by interrupting the bodys capacity to fight infections. The virus kills body cells hence making the body completely powerless when it comes to fighting pathogens and other disease causing organisms (Ramaiah, 2008).
References
Hall, J. C., Hall, B. J., & Cockerell, C. J. (2011). HIV/AIDS in the Post-HAART Era: Manifestations, Treatment, and Epidemiology. Shelton, CT: Peoples Medical Publishing House.
Holland, W. W., Olsen, J., & Florey, C. (Eds.). (2007). The Development of Modern Epidemiology: Personal Reports from those who were there. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
Ramaiah, S. (2008). HIV/AIDS: Health Solutions. New Delhi, India: Sterling Paperbacks. Read More