HCS/457
August 30, 2010
Rachaline Napier
Communicable Disease
What is a communicable disease? A communicable disease is an infectious disease that can be transmitted from one person to another either directly by contact or circuitously by fomites and vectors. HIV/AIDS is one of the many communicable diseases in the world. Throughout this presentation, a detailed analysis will be given on HIV/AIDS. I will also recommend different ways a community can educate individuals in order to help prevent this disease. HIV, also known as the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, is a virus that attacks the immune system. If the immune system is not strong enough, it is hard for the body to fight off the virus. White blood cells are an imperative element of the immune system. HIV assaults and obliterates CD4+ cells. When a numerous amount of CD4+ cells are destroyed, the body can no longer protect itself against infection. This stage of HIV infection is AIDS, also known as, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. Individual that has AIDS show a low number of CD4+ cells and get contagions of cancers that seldom arise in vigorous individuals. Having HIV does not indicate that you have AIDS. No one can just get AIDS. A person may get tainted with HIV, and then later develop AIDS. It takes longer for HIV to develop into AIDS, even without any treatments. Medications can slow the process or even stop the damage to the immune system if an individual has been diagnosed with HIV before it becomes AIDS. With the right treatments, people are able to live long active lives with HIV. HIV is contracted many different ways. The most common way an individual contracts HIV is through infected blood, semen, or vaginal fluids. Sharing drug needles with someone that is infected is another general way of contracting the virus. HIV can also be passed along from mother to child during pregnancy, child birth, and breast feeding. It is known that HIV
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