Prevention for HIV/AIDS :: Diseases Health Medical Essays

Prevention for human immunodeficiency virus/ help Although anti-viral therapy exists to support masses coping with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and AIDS, the AIDS epidemic is not over. though it is not prevalent in the Untied States, 2.1 million people died of AIDS by 1999. Half a million electric razorren under the age of cardinal are HIV positive, mostly infected done mother-to-child transmission or sexual assault (2). Ninety percent of HIV transmittings occur the evolution countries, go away the poor and struggling to cope with the epidemic (3). Heterosexual infection is the most common form of infection in Africa and Asia, especially in women. Elsewhere, infection through sex with a bisexual or medicate infected partner, drug injection with dirty needles, air transfusion and straight sex are typical (2). Overall, the primary forms of transmission occur through unprotected sexual behavior, sharing needles, home tattooing, and through birth, from mother to chi ld (5). An infectious disease, HIV must enter the blood stream of a person for transmission. It enters through bodily fluid, such as blood, semen, vaginal fluid, and heart milk. The disease infects cells in the body, especially CD4 cells, a type of bloodless blood cells. Also known as T-cells, CD4 cells are crucial in maintaining the mankind immune system in protection from infectious diseases (5). By destroying the white blood cells, HIV causes a sever breakdown of the bodys immune system, leaving the body vulnerable, fragile and unable to protect against any disease they are exposed to. When the immune system becomes severely damaged AIDS is diagnosed by the contraction of specific diseases such as tuberculosis and toxoplasmosis (5). Once diagnosed with AIDS, the computer virus never leaves the body, leaving the immune system to deteriorate until it is unable to skin off the diseases anymore, letting them take over the body. Major research and pharmaceutic companies conti nue to place precedence on the search for a vaccine or cure it is estimated that it will take another ten to cardinal years to find a cure or vaccine for HIV/AIDS. Methods for HIV prevention need to be a priority in medical research prevention is the first step to slowing an epidemic, and an raise in vaginal microbicides, a new form of female prevention, could publication in having them on the market in a third of the clock time it would take to discover a vaccine (1).