HIV and Its Impact on History - Essay Example

?The Global Impact of HIV HIV has killed more than 25 million people since its arrival in the early 1980s, and over 30 million people are currently infected by the virus today (WHO, 2011). The World Health Organization (WHO) considers the HIV virus to be a pandemic (WHO, 2011), suggesting that it is evidently having a huge global impact on the world. Whilst other diseases, such as malaria, tuberculosis, ischaemic heart disease and cancer affect a huge number of people, as described below, HIV and the resulting AIDS has captured the public attention more than any other disease. The purpose of this paper is to explore HIV as a global disease and to compare it to those illnesses mentioned above. By doing this, it will become evident that HIV has had the largest impact on global history for a number of reasons, not least the huge number of people it affects and infects daily (Libman et al, 2007). HIV/AIDS The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a destructive chronic infection which eventually leads to the breakdown of the immune system known as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (Libman et al, 2007). HIV infections can be spread in a number of ways, although this is most commonly through sexual intercourse, intravenous drug use and mother-child transmission (Libman et al, 2007). Blood transfusions also used to be a huge risk, although the systematic screening in many developed countries has dramatically decreased the number of people infected via this route (Libman et al, 2007). HIV infection goes through a number of stages before the infected individual is classified as having AIDS, each of which has its own symptoms. The individual is infectious from the early stages of the infection, which is part of the reason that HIV is so transmissible and so dangerous (Lopez, 2006). Part of the historical impact of HIV and AIDS can be seen through the sheer number of conspiracy theories and questions as to the origin of the virus (Libman et al, 2007). There are individuals who believe that HIV is a man-made virus made on behalf of an organization trying to tackle overpopulation in Sub-Saharan Africa (hence the high infection rate in this area) or as a defence against homosexual men, another high-risk group (Lopez, 2006). Whilst these theories are generally disregarded, it is telling that the disease has had such discussion and impact outside of the medical field, arguably more so than any other global burden. Another reason why HIV and AIDS have had such an impact on global history is that it is truly global, and does not distinguish between race, socioeconomic background or any other factor. The specific risk factors for other diseases will be discussed below, but it is worth noting that, whilst certain activities put one at risk of contracting the virus, there are no environmental or sociological barriers for transmission (Quinn, 2008). Many diseases of the elderly, such as dementia or cancer, have a higher incidence in areas where people live longer. Many infectious diseases are geographically limited because they rely on a vector such as a mosquito or tick for transmission. HIV does not show any such discrimination. Malaria Malaria is a hugely important global disease. Like HIV, it is an infectious disease that claims most victims in Sub-Saharan Africa (Lopez, 2006). It claims roughly a million lives per year (WHO, 2011), although figures depend on the source. Many medications for the prevention and treatment of malaria are available (Bynum, 2010). These medications are often very cheap compared to AIDS treatment which needs to be life-long and is extremely costly (Quinn, 2008). This is one argument that HIV has had a larger global effect, because the price of treatment limits the number of people who have access to it. Additionally, malaria treatments often lead to a full recovery, whilst HIV is a life-long infection that will eventually lead to death (Libman et al, 2007). Malaria is also often found where the mosquito vector is, which means that it is rarely found naturally closer to the poles, unlike HIV which can live and reproduce worldwide (Bynum, 2010). Tuberculosis Tuberculosis is another infectious disease which affects more people in Sub-Saharan Africa than elsewhere (WHO, 2011). This is largely due to the vaccines available in most of the developed world, as the bacteria itself can live within any human host and is not dependent on any geographical factor (Lopez, 2006). Interestingly, HIV infection means that tuberculosis infection is more likely, with about 13% of all HIV/AIDS patients having a TB infection (WHO, 2011). This fact alone perhaps can be used as evidence for the larger global impact of HIV, as without it the rates of TB infection and death would likely be far lower. Tuberculosis is also fairly lethal, as it is the second most common cause of infectious disease death worldwide, but first place goes to HIV/AIDS (Lopez, 2006). Whilst it is impossible to suggest that tuberculosis is unimportant, it is largely ignored by the Western world perhaps in part due to the low incidence rate here (Ormerod, 2005). This ignorance also means that TB has a far lesser impact on global history than HIV infection. Ischaemic Heart Disease Ischaemic heart disease is a term referring to any heart disease characterised by a lower blood supply to the heart. It is the most common cause of death worldwide, claiming more than 7 million victims every year (WHO, 2011). Perhaps the main reason why HIV and AIDS have had more of an impact on global history is that ischaemic heart disease is more common in the middle- and high-income parts of the world (WHO, 2011). Additionally, HIV can be transmitted to children (Libman et al, 2007), whereas this type of heart disease occurs primarily in older adults. Whilst this does not necessarily mean that HIV infection is more important, worsening health is ‘expected’ with age, whereas something that affects young and old alike seems more treacherous and perhaps arguably has less effect on the global consciousness. Additionally, heart disease is an extremely old complication, whereas HIV is a virus which we have seen emerge and develop in recent times, something virtually unheard of with any other infectious agent, which means that it holds a special place in medical history. Cancer Cancer is a broad term applicable to many different types of carcinomas, rapidly dividing cells which cause a number of different problems. Cancer, like heart disease, very definitely affects those in middle- and high-income areas far more than those in the developing world (Lopez, 2006). Cancer can affect anyone of any age or income, like HIV/AIDS, but is far more likely in the elderly (Lopez, 2006). which is the reason why it is seen more commonly in areas where the life expectancy is longer. There are cures for many types of cancer on the assumption that they are caught in the early stages, unlike HIV for which there is no cure currently (Libman et al, 2007). Additionally, like heart disease, cancer has affected the human race for an extremely long time, so perhaps HIV can be classified as more interesting and therefore is an important part of global history for this reason. Conclusion In conclusion, there are a number of problematic and devastating diseases which sadly continue to affect the human race. These are all important in their own way, whether it is by the amount of deaths they cause on a yearly basis or the amount of money spent on finding a cure. However, there are a number of ways in which HIV and AIDS are unique, which means that they are special and interesting as a part of global history. These include the highly infectious nature of HIV, which does not apply to many cancers and heart disease, the fact that HIV infections can occur anywhere on Earth, which does not apply to malaria, and the fact that there is no cure for HIV infection or AIDS. Taking this into account, with the fact that humankind has seen HIV develop from non-existence to a pandemic, means that HIV holds a special place in the history books and is arguably the most important global disease. References Bynum, W. F. ‘Humanity’s Burden: A Global History of Malaria (review)’. Bulletin of the History of Medicine 84.1 (2010): n. pag. Print. Libman, Howard, Harvey J. Makadon, and American College of Physicians. HIV. ACP Press, 2007. Print. Lopez, Alan D., and Disease Control Priorities Project. Global Burden Of Disease And Risk Factors. World Bank Publications, 2006. Print. Ormerod, L. P. ‘Multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB): Epidemiology, Prevention and Treatment’. British Medical Bulletin 73-74.1 (2005): 17–24. Web. 3 May 2012. Quinn, T. C. ‘HIV Epidemiology and the Effects of Antiviral Therapy on Long-term Consequences’. AIDS (London, England) 22.Suppl 3 (2008): S7. Print. WHO. ‘WHO | The Top 10 Causes of Death’. WHO. 2011. Web. 3 May 2012. Read More