Three decades of hiv aids

Document Type:Research Paper

Subject Area:Health Care

Document 1

HIV is known to attack the body’s immune system by precisely attacking the T cells (CD4 cells) which aid the body’s immune stem in fighting various infections. Origin The first case of an HIV infection was first reported thirty years ago in West Africa. In as much as the universal pandemic had its sources from Leopoldville in Congo, various subgroups got infected thereafter. This period marked two different stages of HIV that is HIV 1 and 2. The first type of HIV is characterized by being more likely to be transmitted and is known to be the main contributor to HIV infections worldwide. These two origins are as a result of several cross-species transmissions of the SIVs infecting natural African primates.

Sign up to view the full document!

As a result of this, it resulted in viruses that were compatible with human beings but in a gradual and systematic manner. Proponents suggest the primary origin of this phase to be a chimpanzee. The scientists recognized a type of chimpanzee in the western side of Africa to be the source of the disease infections to human beings (D’arc et al. They firmly hold to the fact that the virus also known as simian immune deficiency virus was most likely spread to human beings and transformed to HIV as people could hunt the animals for meat this coming into contact with the infected blood. This is a clear indication that the natural part of HIV 2 varies with that of HIV-1.

Sign up to view the full document!

It is not by surprise as the second phase is resultant from a different type of lentivirus. HIV-2, however, is not highly transmittable and is primarily located in West Africa near a virus of an old monkey living on the western side of Africa. Current Situation More than 31 years after the discovery of HIV by scientists as being the primary cause of the AIDS pandemic, it has spread across the world like bush fire. Either the disease is brought about as a result of infecting the white blood cells thus weakening the immune system of the body in a slow and gradual manner (Idele et al. According to the Global HIV and AIDS data, approximately 37 million people are infected with the infectious disease, and 95% of them live in countries which are developing.

Sign up to view the full document!

People’s Progress on HIV/AIDS People have progressed with the disease through the use of antiretroviral drugs for those infected on the verge of controlling the infection and also sensitization on the dangers of the disease to the public. The use of these drugs happens in a systematic manner depending on the different stages of the disease. Through the of this drug, it has helped in preventing opportunistic diseases and also boosting the immune system of the body. The combination helps the body to defend itself against being suppressed with the disease. , Ayouba, A. , Esteban, A. , Learn, G. H. , Boué, V. , Kasedde, S. , & Luo, C. Epidemiology of HIV and AIDS among adolescents: current status, inequities, and data gaps.  JAIDS Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, 66, S144-S153.

Sign up to view the full document!

From $10 to earn access

Only on Studyloop

Original template

Downloadable