Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) can be a result of two cy Virus types HIV-1 and HIV-2. A number of primate species carry similar viruses known as Simian Immunodeficiency Viruses, or SIV. Chimpanzees can carry a virus related to HIV-1, but sooty mangabeys, a type of monkey found in West Africa, can carry a virus similar to HIV-2. Humans are thought to have become infected with HIV-1 from sooty mangabeys. Baboons in Tanzania and patas monkeys in Senegal seem to have cross-infected each other's species with SIVs. A local species of green monkey carries a virus called SIVAGM, which is related to the SIVs that the baboons and patas monkeys seem to have contracted. However, the odd thing about these baboons and patas monkeys is that they are not usually infected with SIVs. A subtype of HIV-1, called subtype B, was initially found in North America and in Europe, but it is hardly ever found in sub-Saharan Africa. Next, HIV is usually transmitted through four different ways. The first mode of transmission is through sexual contact; this is either vaginally or anally. The second mode of transmission is through contact with infected blood, usually through a blood transfusion or through an open wound on the skin. The third mode
AIDS and HIV are two viruses that do not discriminate by age, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, biological sex, or religion. Both of these viruses are completely devastating and deadly. It seems that the only key to combating HIV and AIDS is education of what these two viruses are capable of doing to humans and animals. In spite of the slow decline of AIDS related deaths, another factor is more disturbing. This is the number of new HIV infections reported in the United States for 1998, which were roughly 40,000. This is the same level it was for the past decade. Next, almost half of the people that die from AIDS in the United States are black, but African Americans only consist of 13% of the population. Dr. Gayle commented on this, "Overall, African Americans have a 10 times greater risk of dying from AIDS, of developing AIDS, or of getting HIV infections than whites and about three times greater than Hispanics." Dr. Gayle finished her thoughts, "But in many ways, the story of how well we do in HIV and AIDS will be told by how well we do with the African-American population." In contrast to AZT, there is numerous other anti-HIV drug therapies. Just to name a few, which are called nucleosides, there is Retrovir, Videx, which is used in combination with AZT, Hivid, which is also combined with AZT, Zerit, which should not be used with AZT, Epivir, which can be used with AZT. Other drug therapies also fall under protease inhibitors, these are: Invirase, Norvir, Crixivan, Viracept, Viramune, and Rescriptor, which all can be combined with AZT. Prevention needs of women include six relatively simple strategies. The first strategy is to pay attention to prevention for women. Females made up nearly half (47%) of HIV cases among 13-to 24-year-olds reported from the 34 areas with confidential HIV reporting for adults and adolescents in 2000. The second strategy is to implement programs that have been effective in changing risky behaviors among women. The third strategy is to increase emphasis on prevention and treatment services for young women and women of color. The fourth strategy is to address the intersection of drug use and sexual HIV transmission. The fifth strategy is to develop and widely disseminate effective female-controlled prevention methods. The last strategy is to better integrate prevention and treatment services for women across the board, including the prevention and treatment of other STDs and substance abuse and access to antiretroviral therapies. Some of the symptoms of HIV infection are similar in men and women. Both men and women with HIV may have non-specific symptoms early in the disease, including low-grade fevers, night sweats, fatigue, and weight loss. In contrast, women experience HIV-associated gynecologic problems. These HIV-associated gynecologic problems include: vaginal yeast infections, bacterial vaginosis, severe herpes virus ulcerations, idiopathic genital ulcers, human papillomavirus infections, gonorrhea, chlamidya, trichomoniasis, pelvic inflammatory disease, and menstrual irregularities. AIDS cases among gay and bisexual men account for around 55% of cases in the United States. Among these gay and bisexual men, the ones who were scared of AIDS began to practice safe sex. However, these men have returned to unsafe sexual practices, namely,
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Approximate Word count = 2239
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)
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