HIV and AIDS: Basic Elements and Priorities - Research Paper Example

?Running Head: AIDS AIDS [Institute’s AIDS Since time immemorial, microorganisms have inhabited the world and have lived in allpossible natural, environmental, and biological habitats of the world. A large proportion of the microorganisms are necessary for other organisms’ survival, whereas, few are disease causing or pathogenic. Severe health enormities such as infectious diseases can result from pathogenic strains of microorganisms. Infectious diseases may include “cholera, malaria, tuberculosis, AIDS, pneumonia” (Lemon, 2007) and many more. According to the records (Lemon, 2007), it has come into focus that the spread of these infectious diseases have increased drastically and have accelerated the death toll all around the world. All of the infectious diseases are contagious and transmittable that is, the germs causing the disease can transfer from the infected person to the uninfected person. There are several ways, which enable these germs to spread in order to transmit the disease from one person to another. Since some germs cannot live exterior to human body, the resulting diseases can only pass on through direct contact of humans, while few diseases are transmissible through different mediums such as food, water, air, or animals (Lemon, 2007). Mostly developing countries are the victims of infectious diseases as living standards of the people are lower and the hygiene conditions in such nations are not appropriate. In recent times, through medical researches it has come under identification that those diseases, which previously become extinct, are now causing infections again, the biggest example is of tuberculosis (Lemon, 2007). Growing number of affected people is of paramount concern for medical researchers and health organizations. Although few diseases are treatable with the use of vaccines and antibiotics, yet cure for some infectious diseases have not come under findings. “AIDS – Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome is one of those diseases that are untreatable and is infecting a big faction of the world population” (Lemon, 2007). “AIDS is one of the most common Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs). It comes under origin through an agent that is a virus named Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)” (Schuitemaker & Miedema, 2000). This agent attacks and destroys the defense mechanism of human body making him incapable of fighting back the foreign agents that is other pathogens, thus suffering from a wide range of other diseases such as pneumonia, fever, dementia, weight loss, TB and many other opportunistic illnesses (Kartikeyan, 2007). In this reference, AIDS is an assortment of diseases that occurs due to damage of immune system caused by HIV infections. The virus enters those cells of the immune system that are responsible for killing the foreign particles or entities to protect human body from developing any disorder or ailment (Schuitemaker & Miedema, 2000). HIV uses its own genetic material and enzymes to take up the control of the genetic mechanisms of the human immune cells such as “DNA replication” (Schuitemaker & Miedema, 2000) and stops the cell to perform its normal function. It is not necessary that a person who is HIV positive will suffer from AIDS; many remain symptomless for long periods and some for their entire lives. These people often come under reference as ‘carriers’ (Schuitemaker & Miedema, 2000). AIDS is a global enormity that has affected people in every corner of the world. However, the extent of its effects differs from place to place and Sub Saharan African region has felt its drastic impacts the most (Joseph & Najmabadi, 2005). Some schools of thought do not agree on relating the disease with specific race, whereas, others believe that different races respond in a different manner to this disease. There are many factors, which contribute to make Sub Saharan Africa vulnerable to the disease that includes social, political, economical, and health issues. Due to severe poverty and low living standards in this region of the world, these people are at a high risk of suffering with HIV infection and AIDS (Joseph & Najmabadi, 2005). Sub Saharan Africans still hold on to their traditional beliefs and practices including the male dominance in the society and they relate the use of condoms with decrease in their male supremacy. Though a large proportion of population in this region is suffering and dying from AIDS, government is complacent about the matter. Being an underdeveloped economy government officials focus on paying back their debts and pay the least attention to development of social and health sector making the people less fortunate to either survive or die in this unhealthy environment. Many of the health professionals belonging to this region move abroad after their studies to get a respectable job, thus, leaving the natives with lack of health professional. As an outcome of it, high profile testing, awareness and treatment of HIV infection cannot come under provision to the citizens making them more susceptible to the disease (Joseph & Najmabadi, 2005). HIV is a virus that is not able to live exterior to human body, therefore for its transmission no vector comes under need, and it is necessary for humans to have intimate connection with each other. Transfer of human body fluid is the only potential mode for transmission of infection (Levy, 2007). This means that HIV can come under transmission through sexual intercourse. Both homosexuals and heterosexuals are equally susceptible of acquiring infection by the HIV. Through many research conducted by specialist, the fact have been revealed that a critical portion of the female population have contracted HIV infection after a heterosexual contact (Levy, 2007). If a person has more than one sexual partner, he or she is more likely to enter the risk of HIV infection through the exchange of semen and vaginal fluids. In addition, in the Western world, studies show that both male and female prostitutes are under high risk of suffering from HIV infection as most of them practice unprotected sexual intercourse. The chief cause for contraction of HIV infection is the heterosexual contact throughout the world and the cases are increasing at an unprecedented rate (Levy, 2007). Another mode of transmission of the AIDS causing virus is through the usage of intravenous injection that already carries the germs of HIV on it. Drug users normally use and share the infected hypodermic injections for injecting their drug dose. If the sharing occurs between a HIV positive person and an uninfected person, it can lead to the transfer of the HIV from the infected person to the uninfected one through the contaminated needle (Levy, 2007). Cuts and open wounds may also lead to the transfer of the virus from the infected person. For example, the equipment(s) used in shaving can also get the germs from the blood of the HIV positive person that may flow out from any cut. When the same equipment(s) comes under usage for an uninfected person, it may enter into his blood stream through any opening in his skin (Levy, 2007). Another major cause that highly affects the spread of HIV to an uninfected person is through blood donation. If unsterilized syringes come under usage to take blood, it poses a high threat to the donor of getting the virus through the infected syringe. In case, the donor is HIV positive and his blood comes under denotation without testing for the presence of HIV, the recipient will also encounter the infection. During pregnancy, the virus can transfer from mother to the developing child inside the mother’s womb. Furthermore, the virus can transmit during lactation from mother’s breast milk to the infant (Levy, 2007). In order to prevent the spread of HIV and AIDS it is necessary to take proper measures. It is of high importance to make a barrier between body fluids to curb down the chances of exchange of materials including HIV from them. Male and female condoms are considerable protections that can act as a hurdle between body fluids (Rhodes, 1996). Awareness programs and campaigns can work a great deal. People should understand the preventive measures of the spread of this infectious disease. In many countries, people do not discuss about sexual issues openly and consider it unethical. They should realize the fact that it is better to discuss it rather than being a victim of the disease. Their mindset can come under alteration through awareness about the nature of the disease. In order to encourage people for using precautions, government of poor nations should provide their citizens with free condoms (Rhodes, 1996). Another preventive measure on the part of the medical workers working in the laboratories where blood tests come under performing is that they should cover their bodies properly with lab coats, gloves, goggles, and masks. This prevents the invasion of HIV into their bodies via any wound. Programs should focus on discouraging the drug users from taking drugs, but as it will take a long time to convince them, meanwhile a scheme should come under offer, which provides the drug users with sterilized needles in exchange of contaminated ones. When a donor donates blood, it should come under high profile testing to check for the presence of HIV so that the recipient can come under protection from getting the infection (Rhodes, 1996). A woman who is HIV positive should avoid bearing her own child, as the child would be at a very high risk of acquiring the infection since the time of birth. Instead, HIV positive woman can go for the option of adopting a child. In case where a HIV positive woman gives birth to her child, she should feed the infant on her milk for a very short period and then go for other feeding alternatives (Rhodes, 1996). There are few possible ways to treat HIV infection and to prevent the onset of AIDS, which includes the use of antibiotics to avoid the opportunistic diseases. This treatment can only be possible when people approach health professionals for the blood test to check for the presence of HIV (Joseph & Najmabadi, 2005). This can only happen when people are aware of the possible deadly consequences of HIV/AIDS. In the case of Sub Sahara Africans, their government does not pay attention towards the awareness of health issues and development of medical facilities, therefore, people due to lack of education about the disease they cannot come within reach of few available medical facilities. It has come under observation that the birth rate is comparatively high, and looming poverty and lack of knowledge, there is a high risk that HIV positive women pass on the infection to their fetus during pregnancy or afterwards through lactation. Due to all the social, political and health issues discussed above, the spread of HIV infection and the number of people suffering from it is accelerating at an unprecedented rate (Joseph & Najmabadi, 2005). References Joseph, S, Najmabadi, A. (2005). Encyclopedia of Women & Islamic Cultures: Family, body, sexuality and health. BRILL. Kartikeyan, S. (2007). HIV and AIDS: basic elements and priorities. Springer. Lemon, S. M. (2007). Global infectious disease surveillance and detection: assessing the challenges--finding solutions: workshop summary. National Academies Press. Levy, J. A. (2007). HIV and the pathogenesis of AIDS. Wiley-Blackwell. Rhodes, T. (1996). AIDS, drugs and prevention: perspectives on individual and community action. Routledge. Schuitemaker, H., Miedema, F. (2000). AIDS pathogenesis. Springer. Read More