KNOWLEDGE AREA: Diversity,

change and continuity

TOPIC 1: Biodiversity and
Classification of Micro-
organisms

Effect and
Management of
Disease Caused by
Micro-organism-
HIV/AIDS
 Introduction

Causes

Effects of the HIV/AIDS on the Human Population

Symptoms

HIV testing

Treatment and Prevention of HIV infection

Beliefs, Attitudes and Values

Micro-organisms cause disease in humans,
animals and plants.

A disease causing micro-organisms is known as a

pathogen.

The effect and how to manage the disease caused

by AIDS/HIV will be discussed and explained.
AIDS/HIV was first reported in USA in 1981.
AIDS is caused by a virus.

This virus is called HIV.

HIV stands for Human
Immuno-deficiency Virus.

This virus attacks the

human immune system.
TRANSMISSION OF THE VIRUS:
The HIV virus is transmitted by the transfer of bodily
fluids.
Some of these bodily fluids are blood and semen.
HIV/AIDS is transmitted from person to person in the
following way:
1. During sexual intercourse with an infected person.
2. During blood transfusion from an infected person.
3. The transfer of infected blood accidentally.
4. Through the sharing of needles with an infected
person.
5. The virus maybe transferred to a child from their
mother during pregnancy, childbirth and breast
feeding.
6. Once a person becomes infected with the virus, that
person is said to be HIV positive.
7. It can take up to ten years after infection for any
symptoms to occur. This is known as the window-
period.
The first case of AIDS was reported in the USA
in 1981.

The table show the estimated number of

people with the disease in South Africa from
2001 to 2010 as a percentage.
 Estimated percentage of South Africans infected with
HIV/AIDS from 2001 to 2010

Year Percentage of South Africans living with

HIV/AIDS (%)
2001 9.4
2002 9.6
2003 9.8
2004 9.9
2005 10.0
2006 10.1
2007 10.2
2008 10.3
2009 10.3
2010 10.5
We can make the following observations from the table:
1. The percentage of South Africans living with HIV/AIDS
is increasing every year.
2. In 2010: 10.5% of the population lived with HIV/AIDS.
3. This means that 1 out of every 10 people are infected
with the virus.

Other important statistics not shown on the table are…

1. The highest percentage of the population infected with
the virus are women between the ages 15-49.
2. The life expectancy has decreased to 53,3 years for
males and 55,2 years for females for children born in
2010.
Some people show no symptoms at all.
However most people show the following pattern of
symptoms.
The symptoms can be arranged into 3 stages or phases.

1. The window period

2. Repeated flu like symptoms
3. Opportunistic disease and death.
 The Window Period

The first signs of the disease are: fever, rash, joint pains
and enlarged lymph nodes.
These symptoms are also the symptoms of many
other common diseases and often are not recognized as
symptoms of an HIV infection.
These symptoms also disappear after a week or two.
An HIV test at this stage may be negative.
This is because the test looks for HIV antibodies.
The HIV antibodies only develop after 6 weeks or later
after infection.
Repeated flu-like symptoms:
A HIV test at this stage will be positive because after 6
weeks the antibodies are present in the blood.
The symptoms at this stage are:
• Fever
• Enlarged lymph nodes
• Repeated infections of the mouth, nasal passages and
back of throat.
These symptoms might take years to develop.
They may go unnoticed because they are also symptoms
of other diseases.
Therefore a person with the disease may be unaware until
they take a test.
Opportunistic disease and death:
Here opportunistic disease attack the body.
These are diseases that attack when the immune
system is low.
Examples of such diseases are: tuberculosis, chronic
diarrhea and thrush.
Remember these diseases also infect people that are
HIV negative, but they are easily treated.
If the HIV positive person does not receive treatment
they get diseases such as infections of the esophagus,
trachea, bronchi, lung and brain.
The person is now described as having full blown AIDS.
Death may occur soon after this stage is reached.
The HIV test must be taken because…
1. If you are HIV negative then you can take the
necessary steps to ensure that you remain HIV
negative.
2. If you are HIV positive then you can change your
lifestyle and take the necessary medication to slow
down the progress of the disease.
3. You can also take steps to prevent other people from
getting the disease.
After the test:
If your are HIV negative then the ABC method may be
used to prevent the infection.
If you are HIV positive then your doctor should advise
you about the following:
1. When to start the anti-retroviral drugs.
2. The kinds of food you should eat.
3. The types of exercise you should do to stay fit.
4. How to prevent spreading the disease.
Remember that:
With proper exercise, diet and the anti-retroviral
you can slow down the progress of developing full
blown AIDS for up to 10 years.
TREATMENT:
A. PEP (Post Exposure Prohylaxis) treatment:
This treatment is used for when people are accidentally
infected.
For example : a needle stick injury or when a person is
raped.
If they are given a special drug within 24 hours of
exposure and they continue the treatment for 28 days
the HIV infection will not develop in almost 100% of the
cases.
 If the person receives treatment after 72 hours then
the effectiveness of the drug drops to 52%.
After 72 hours the drug is no longer effective.

B. Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART)

This treatment is for people that are already HIV
positive.
You must remember that these drugs only slow
down the disease it does not cure it.
It slows down the development of full blown AIDS
by slowing down the progression from one stage to
another.
The ART involves the use of a number of drugs at
the same time.
The use of a number of drugs is called a cocktail
of drugs.
The use of a cocktail of drugs reduces the chances
of the virus becoming resistant to the drug.
The ART together with lifestyle changes (correct
diet and sufficient exercise) reduces the viral load.
The viral load refers to the number of HI viruses
in the blood.
 Even though these people now have low levels of
HIV in their blood they can still pass on the disease.

C. Reasons for not supporting ART:

Some people may experience serious side effects.
Some people find it very difficult to take different
drugs at different times of the day as the ART
treatment expects.
If a few doses are missed, then the virus becomes
drug resistant.
3. Many people believe that AIDS is not real. They
believe that it is a story to make them use condoms
and to stop them from having sex. AIDS is real.
Many people are infected with the virus.

4. Many people believe that if your are married or have

only have one partner you can not get the disease.
This is only possible if both you and your partner are
HIV free and are faithful to each other.
Here are believes, attitudes and values people have
about the causes and cure for HIV/AIDS. Discuss these
with your teacher.
1. You can tell whether a person is HIV positive just by
looking at them.
You cannot tell if a person is HIV positive by looking
at them you can only be sure by a blood test.
2. Some men believe that you are only a real man if
you have many partners. If you have many partners
you can spread the diseases more easily to more
people.
 PREVENTION:

The ABC method maybe used to prevent the disease.

This method is as follows:
• A is to abstain from sexual activity until you are old
enough to commit to a single partner.
• B is to be faithful to your partner. If both you and
your partner are HIV free and only have sex with each
other then the chances of you acquiring the disease is
nil. Remember when you have sex with a person it is
as if you are having sex with all the people that person
had sex with.
• C is to condomise. The condom prevents the virus
from being transferred from person to person. The
condom is not 100% effective.
5. Some people still believe that only homosexuals
acquire the disease. Initially the disease was more
common in homosexual men. Today however we
know that infection occurs in both heterosexual men
and woman.

6. In South Africa some people believe it is the disease

of white people only, while others believe it is a
disease of black people only. AIDS affects all people
irrespective of their race, culture, religion or nation.
7. It is also believed that the traditional healers have a
cure for the disease. There is no cure for AIDS. The
medicines and herbs given by the traditional healers
and doctors can boost your immune system and
may cure the opportunistic disease.

8. Some men believe that the condom does not

protect them against the disease it only ensure they
have fewer children. The condom is most effective
in protecting you against the disease. You must
remember that its is not 100% effective against the
virus.
9. Some HIV positive men believe that they will be
cured if they have sex with virgin girls. This is not
true. Having sex with young virgin will only hurt
them both mentally and physically. They will also
become infected with the disease. Remember there
is at present no cure.

10. Many people believe they will become infected by

shaking hands, sharing showers, baths, toilets etc. or
by being bitten by mosquitoes. Remember that the
HI virus is only spread through the exchange of
bodily fluids or from an infected mother to child.
HIV: stands for Human Immuno-deficiency Virus.
HIV positive: a person who is infected by the HIV virus.
Opportunistic disease: these are diseases that attack
when the immune system is low.
Cocktail of drugs: the use of a number of drugs.
Viral load: refers to the number of HI viruses in the blood.
AIDS: stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
ART: is the treatment given to people who are already
infected.
PEP: is the treatment for people that are not yet infected.
The first reported case of HIV/AIDS was in…

A. South Africa in 1981

B. USA in 1981
C. Sweden in 1891
D. Nigeria in 1981
PEP is …

A. A treatment for people that are already infected.

B. Most effective within the first 24 hours of infection.
C. Completely ineffective
D. A treatment that becomes more effective as time
passes.
The best way to prevent the disease is…

A. Abstain from sex.

B. Use the ABC method.
C. Use a condom.
D. All of the above.
A positive HIV test in the window period is not possible
because…

A. There are no HIV antibodies in the first 6 weeks.

B. The infection only develops after six weeks
C. Not infection has occurred.
D. There is no test for HIV infection.
ART is a…

A. Cure for the disease

B. Treatment for the disease
C. Both A and B
D. Neither A nor B
A person can become infected by…

A. A transfusion of blood
B. A transfusion of infected blood
C. Shaking hands with an infected person
D. Sharing the swimming pool with an infected
person
HIV stands for…

A. Human in vitro
B. Herpes internal virus
C. Human immunodeficiency virus
D. None of the above
An infected mother may infect her child…

A. During pregnancy
B. During childbirth
C. While breastfeeding
D. Through all of the above
The repeated flu-like symptom stage…

A. Is when HIV antibodies are present

B. When the HIV antibodies is still not present
C. Occurs very quickly
D. Is when the sufferer experiences symptoms that
are common to HIV/AIDS only
The symptoms during the window period…

A. Are similar to the opportunistic disease and

death phase.
B. Are similar to symptoms of other common diseases
C. Both A and B
D. None of the above
 1. B
2. B
3. B
4. B
5. B
6. B
7. C
8. D
9. B
10. B