HIV/AIDS: An Overview HCR 240 Debra Zanders Tina Alves Axia College University of Phoenix

HIV/AIDS: An Overview HCR 240 Debra Zanders Tina Alves Axia College University Of Phoenix
HIV/AIDS 1 Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), is a growing concern in the united States as well as other countries. This virus is what eventually turns into AIDS. HIV affects the immune system and over time damages it making it vulnerable to all sorts of diseases and cancers. HIV kills the white blood cells, and keeps the body from being able to fight off infections (AIDS support, 2011). The difference between HIV and AIDS is that a person contracts the HIV virus first, and over time it turns into the AIDS virus. The process from a person becoming infected and a person contracting AIDS is 2 to 10-15 years (AIDS support, 2011). AIDS is like an advanced form of HIV, a persons immune system becomes so weak, that they are vulnerable to all types of infections and even the common cold can make them very sick to where they have to be hospitalized. There are different ways that a person can contract HIV, these ways being through blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and breast milk (center for disease control, 2010). For someone to contract HIV from an infected person they must come into contact with the person by means of a mucous membrane to become infected. Using a syringe for drug use with a person that is infected can transmit HIV also (center for disease control, 2010). HIV is mostly transmitted through having vaginal or anal sex with an infected person. In the United States, it is possible to contract HIV through a blood transfusion or an organ donation, even though the blood is checked for disease, sometimes it is over looked (center for disease control, 2010). Healthcare workers have become infected with HIV through accidentally getting stuck with an infected needle, or being splashed in the eye or nose with the infected persons blood (center for disease control, 2010). HIV affects a white blood cell called T-Lymphocyte, these cells are for fighting off infections and germs, but when they are infected with HIV they do not work anymore. It takes years for the HIV to damage enough T- cells, and then turn into AIDS. The person will be diagnosed with AIDS when they have a very low number of T-cells and they show signs of serious infection (HIV and AIDS, 2011). A person
HIV/AIDS 2 with AIDS can die from a sickness as simple as a common cold, because there immune system is no longer able to fight off infections. Which is what leads to death because they get sick from simple colds or the flu. After a person that is infected with AIDS immune system get so damaged it will not be fixable. The reason that the body's immune system fails with a patient that has AIDS, is because they lose the T- cells that fight off infection of other diseases and illnesses. A person that is infected with HIV or AIDS, has no way of fighting off infections because there immune system is so badly damaged by the virus. A person that has HIV can go for years without having any symptoms that lead them to believe that something is wrong with them. AIDS is the world's sixth leading cause of death in the United States (HIV and AIDS, 2011). In Africa the amount of people infected is much higher than the U.S. Because of the diseases that are around and there is no healthcare for most of the people there. Children are often a victim of AIDS in Africa (HIV and AIDS, 2011). HIV cannot be spread by mosquitoes, hugging, or being touched by an infected person (Center for disease control, 2010). There are some people who have HIV that will never develop into AIDS, these people are called non progressors (HIV and AIDS, 2011). For some reason these people never get AIDS but remain having HIV. Although there is no cure for AIDS at this time, there are treatments available to patients with HIV and AIDS, but they are very costly and not offered everywhere in the world. The treatment available for HIV are medications that block the virus in different ways (mayo clinic). (NNRTIs) is medication that prevents HIV from being able to make copies of itself (Mayo clinic). Although these treatments are available they can make a person very sick and they have to live the rest of their life taking pills all day everyday. There are severe side effects to these treatments, such as nausea, vomitting, diarhea, abnormal heart rythym, shortness of breath, skin rash, and weakened bones (Mayo clinic). Every HIV patient responds to these medications in a different way, it works great for some people and others it may not work at all. Having a healthy lifestyle can help a person who has HIV or AIDS live better and longer. A healthy diet is essential for coping through this disease, avoiding certain
HIV/AIDS 3 foods is also important because they can be vulnerable to food borne illnesses and become sick very quickly because of the weakened immune system (HIV and AIDS, 2011). There are many precautions a person can take to be sure that they do not contract the HIV virus. Abstain from having sex at all, or if you are sexually active make sure you and your partner use protection. Limiting yourself to only one sexual partner will reduce your risk of contracting HIV, because you will not be with more than one person. If you are a healthcare worker, be sure and keep yourself safe from being poked with an infected needle, and keep your eyes nose and mouth covered when interacting closely with an HIV infected person, or any person for that matter. Drug addicts who use drugs with needles often spread HIV, this can be avoided by not sharing any needles with anyone, whether it being for drug use or medication use as with diabetes. When a mother who has HIV becomes pregnant, it is important for her to receive treatment for her unborn child, so they will have less risk of being born with HIV. There are several support groups for people with HIV or AIDS, a global awareness campaign I chose is the Worlds AIDS Campaign. This organization provides support and information to people and families that suffer from this deadly virus. They help people all over the world, they make sure that the Governments in all countries are taking necessary precautions, and helping the people that are suffering from AIDS. This organization also makes sure that the patient's are treated fairly and not looked down upon because they have this disease. They provide help as well as hope (World AIDS Campaign, 2009).
References Center for Disease Control. (2010). HIV transmission. Retrieved May 27, 2011, from Http://www.cdc.gov Difference between HIV and AIDS. (2011). Retrieved May 27, 2011 from Http://www.aidssupport.aarogya.com HIV and AIDS. (2011). Retrieved May 27, 2011 from Http://www.kidshealth.org Mayo Clinic. HIV/AIDS. Retrieved May 27, 2011, from Http://www.mayoclinic.com World Aids Campaign. (2009). Retrieved May 27, 2011 from Http://www.worldaidscampaign.org

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