HIV in Perspective - Assignment Example

The first video proffered details of AIDS from the outbreak to the epidemic. It discussed that AIDS was first reported June 5, 1981, when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded a cluster of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (now still classified as PCP but known to be caused by Pneumocystis jirovecii) in five homosexual men in Los Angeles. Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is defined as a set of symptoms and infections resulting from the damage to the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

More details on early epidemic signs, AIDS timeline, rapid AIDS virus test, global statistics, and question and answer portions were all presented.The mechanisms, from its inception to the life cycle of the virus, were discussed. With the alarming number of people affected by AIDS, a specialized drug was developed to contain the syndrome. This is known as antiretroviral medications. “Antiretroviral drugs inhibit the reproduction of retroviruses-viruses composed of RNA rather than DNA. The best known of this group is HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus, the causative agent of AIDS.

Antiretroviral agents are virustatic agents which block steps in the replication of the virus. The drugs are not curative; however continued use of drugs, particularly in multi-drug regimens, significantly slows disease progression.” The enormity of people who had been diagnosed with AIDS/HIV in developing countries needs more than primary health care to address this illness. According to the video, the most appropriate care needed by patients diagnosed with AIDS/HIV is palliative care.

By addressing the patients’ physical, emotional, mental, social, physiological aspects, health care practitioners could finally admit that appropriate treatment was indeed delivered. The lectures presented were very informative and useful as an authoritative source of the HIV disease. Although for someone who is not so much interested in the area, it could be a boring experience considering the length of time consumed in viewing them. The usefulness of the information, in fact, depends on the purpose of the viewer - but the information contained is concise and clearly proffered.