Preview

Aids Research Paper 2 Essay Example

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
2918 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Aids Research Paper 2 Essay Example
In 2009, 33.3 million people around the world were living with AIDS, but with the stigmas, judgment and lack of education on the disease sufferers are too afraid to say they have the disease and seek treatment for it (HIV/AIDS: Frequently Asked Questions, 2011). So where is the cure for AIDs, what treatments are out there, who is at risk the most, what research is being done, what can we as a public to prevent the spread of AIDs? In this research paper I will discuss all of this and more in the subject of AIDs and those with the disease.
“I saw the tortured face of AIDS. It grimaced with the pain of fever and nausea. It gasped with fluid-filled lungs. It wore huge, open sores that emerged from deep in the throat and spread over the lips, neck, and torso. In advanced stages of the disease, the central nervous system can begin to deteriorate, leaving some victims powerless even to close their eyes and mouths. Nerve endings in the extremities go numb or tingle as if pricked by thousands of needles. AIDS robs the brain of its cognitive functions, leaving patients raving with dementia. It saps the body's protein, wasting muscles to the bone. Draped in nothing but skin, 20-year-olds look 70.”- Michael Klesius from his article in Search for a Cure from National Geographic’s.

First, the topic of what AIDs is and how you can contract it is very important. AIDs are an acronym for Acquired Immune Deficiency syndrome. When a person has AIDs, his or her body has been weakened to the point where it is no longer able to effectively fight disease. As a result, many other health problems develop when a person has AIDS (HIV/AIDS, 2008). The American Heritage Medical Dictionary states the medical definition of AIDs is “A severe immunological disorder caused by the retrovirus HIV, resulting in a defect in cell-mediated immune response that is manifested by increased susceptibility to opportunistic infections and to certain rare cancers, especially Kaposi's sarcoma. It is

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Better Essays

    There is no cure for this disease, but medical advancements have produced treatments and therapies that allow infected individuals to function fairly normally and extend life expectancy. AIDS can be spread through any sexual contact as well as through blood via transfusions or needle sharing and from a mother to fetus or newborn. Initial infection may present flu-like symptoms. These include: diarrhea, fever, headache, sores, muscle soreness, rashes, sore throat, night sweats and swollen glands. However, many diagnosed with HIV/AIDS may present with no symptoms. In addition, it can be as long as 10 years before the virus is detected after infection. Most who become infected with HIV will develop AIDS eventually. Once the virus had progressed that far the immune system is significantly compromised and the individual is susceptible to many other threatening illnesses, particularly opportunistic infections. The long term effects of this syndrome include a plethora of medication and therapy to attempt to protect the body from illness and infection. Also, it is important for the individual to be aware and careful to prevent infecting others (HIV/AIDS…

    • 1942 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Nt1310 Unit 1 Assignment 1

    • 7619 Words
    • 31 Pages

    Human Immune-deficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) remains incurable and devastates many communities and nations. Since the first reported case in the United State in 1981, it has spread unremittingly to virtually every country in the world. The number of people living with HIV virus has risen from about 10 million in 1991 to 33 million in 2007. In the same year, there were 2.7 million infections and 2 million HIV related death. Globally, about 45% of new infections occur among young people (The Guardian, 2009).…

    • 7619 Words
    • 31 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Nt1310 Unit 1 Exercise 2

    • 459 Words
    • 2 Pages

    AIDS is short for immune deficiency syndrome. It is the most advanced stage of HIV disease.…

    • 459 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is what causes AIDS. HIV destroys CD4 helper lymphocyte in the body which is a defense cell. The body’s immune system which helps fight off infections contains the CD4 lymphocytes. As HIV destroys the CD4 lymphocytes in the body, people start to get infections that they normally would not get. Once the HIV has destroyed the immune system the patient has acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).People with AIDS cannot fight off infections. There are several ways that HIV can be transmitted, such as; body fluids, breast milk, shared needles, from an infected person through semen, blood, and from infected mother to her baby during childbirth (Teens Health, 2009).…

    • 1732 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Charles parker was a brilliant jazz musician. He was so innovative and played with such genius that he has influenced all jazz musicians regardless of their time period. One can only speculate what might have happened with Jazz if Charles' life was not cut short due to intense drug use as was so common in the musician scene. Then again one can only speculate weather or not Charles' Jazz would have been as great as it was if it were not for the drugs that he consumed on a daily basis. Did the drugs make Charles' Jazz what it was or did the man have the built in ability to squeeze the perfect notes out of a saxophone making it do his will without hardly having to give it a thought.…

    • 3532 Words
    • 15 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Best Essays

    Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus that affects the human immune system and leads to a stat makes the patient unable to fight against diseases and so opportunistic diseases such Tuberculosis and others affect the individual (Worthington et al., 2010). HIV/AIDS was first realized in 1981 by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and is believed to have originated from West-Central Africa. HIV/AIDS has been termed as one of the greatest causes of death in the global society (Gibbs, 2010). The virus is spread when body fluids of a victim gets into contact with the body fluids of another person. Due to the nature of the disease, even unsuspecting individuals such as patients undergoing blood transfusion, unborn babies and others can become victims. HIV is primarily spread through sexual intercourse without any form of protection (Ford et al., 2007; Gardezi et al., 2008).…

    • 2063 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Best Essays
  • Good Essays

    AIDS is the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome where the immunity is severely damaged and lowers the bodies ability to resistance infection. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. Fluid from an infected person much encounter a mucous membrane, the bloodstream, or a cut or injured area of another person to transmit the virus ((Davis). Early symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and a sore throat within two to four weeks of being infected. There are three phases to the disease. Thee first stage includes the acute infection and many people do not experience any symptoms. The second stage is known as clinical latency and means that the virus is dormant and reproduces much slower rate than in the acute phase. The second stage can last for one decade although it sometimes progresses faster. The third stage is AIDS. Individuals have low T-cell counts and compromised immune system that make them easily susceptible to infections and cancer (Davis). Social and economic consequence of HIV include loss of job and income, decreased family income, increased expenses for seeking care, and greater economic consequence, shown by selling assets. Those with AIDS deal with the social measures of being discriminated against along with their physical, mental, and social wellbeing. The disease can lead to a weakened family support…

    • 1437 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    AIDS is caused by a retrovirus known as HIV, which infects and kills the T-cells of the body’s immune system. HIV destroys CD4 cells, which is a type of white blood cells that helps the body fight diseases. The more CD4 cells that die, the weaker your immune system will be. As the CD4 cells are destroyed by HIV, the body will begin to develop other infections that would not normally affect it therefore making those who suffer from AIDS unable to fight off infections. In order to become infected with HIV, vaginal secretions, semen, or infected blood must enter your body. A person can’t catch HIV from ordinary contact such as hugging, kissing, or even shaking hands. HIV can also not be transmitted through, water, air, or even a mosquito bite.…

    • 1639 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Hca 220 Final

    • 1879 Words
    • 8 Pages

    AIDS stands for acquired immune deficiency syndrome. It is related to HIV, but they are not the same at all. A person has AIDS only in the final stages of HIV, after the immune system becomes unable to defend itself against foreign invaders like bacteria, other viruses, and fungi, and allows for the development of certain cancers. As the virus (HIV) grows, it damages or kills most cells, weakening the immune system and leaving the individual vulnerable to various opportunistic infections and other illnesses, ranging from pneumonia to cancer. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines someone as having a clinical diagnosis of AIDS if they have tested positive for HIV. It is very important that you always protect yourself from these types of illnesses. Each day there are Americans who are affected with this virus due to not taking care of themselves or unprotected sex which is the main cause of this disease. One out of 250 people are affected with this disease. Most of the time people who carry it do not even know that they are carrying it. You must always go get checked to be safe and make sure that you are not a carrier of the disease. A person who is HIV-infected carries the virus in certain body fluids, including blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and breast milk. The virus can be transmitted only if such HIV-infected fluids enter the bloodstream of another person. This kind of direct entry can occur (1) through the linings of the vagina, rectum, mouth, and the opening at the tip of the penis; (2) through intravenous injection with a syringe; or (3) through a break…

    • 1879 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    HIV/AIDS DBQ Essay

    • 1125 Words
    • 3 Pages

    HIV is the virus that is commonly transmitted sexually and can develop into AIDS. In the U.S. gay and bisexual of all races are the most severely affected by HIV. HIV can also spread through breast milk, blood, and needles either through drug use or the use of an unsterile needles when getting a tattoo. Over 1 million people in the U.S. are currently living with HIV and 1 in 7 don’t know it. In the world, there are estimated 42 million people that are living with HIV/AIDS. The area with the majority of HIV/AIDS is in sub-Saharan Africa. Due to the brutality of the HIV/AIDS epidemic there is a need for a Public Health Plan.…

    • 1125 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Hippa Violations Analysis

    • 1696 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the virus that causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome referred to as AIDS (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2010). Left untreated, HIV can damage the immune system that can lead to AIDS. When the initial diagnosis becomes established the patient has many adjustments to overcome. Feelings of shame, guilt, denial, depression, fear, anger and shock are the beginning of the ramifications one must face with HIV and AIDS. Other ramifications include social, legal, and ethical issues. Whereas a diagnosis of HIV does not mean that the patient has AIDS, a diagnosis does mean that the patient will be thrust into an overwhelming state of emotion and…

    • 1696 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Health Disparities in HIV

    • 1064 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Human immunodeficiency Virus also known as HIV is a sexually transmitted disease. It attacks your body's immune system. The virus destroys CD4 cells, which help your body fight diseases. HIV damages your immune system and it leads to acquired immune deficiency syndrome also known as AIDS. AIDS is the final stage in HIV, and it’s a disease where severe loss of the body's cellular immunity occurs. The disease lowers the resistance to infection and malignancy. Anyone can get HIV/AIDS. Men, women, and children, of all different races and descents can get infected with the virus. People who are gay or straight can also be infected with HIV/AIDS. There is currently no cure for HIV/AIDS. HIV treatments may reduce the amount of HIV in your blood. Treatments may also help to increase the number of CD4 cells in your blood which help fight off other infections. Patients who go through treatments for the virus must stay on continuous HIV therapy to control infection and decrease HIV related illnesses. Many studies and researchers are looking for cures.…

    • 1064 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The human immune system disorder now known as AIDS was first identified in the United States in 1981. A number of gay men in New York and California suddenly began to develop rare opportunistic infections and cancers that seemed stubbornly resistant to any treatment. At this time, AIDS did not yet have a name, but it quickly became obvious that all the men were suffering from a common syndrome. By the end of 1996, over 379,258 American men, women, and children lost their lives to AIDS according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Initially AIDS epidemic were defined by “the ‘Four H’s” of the disease risk groups-homosexuals, heroin addicts, hemophiliacs, and Haitians. Since none of these groups was a part of the social mainstream, it was easy for society to overlook their suffering or to create bizarre explanations for it. People widely believed that these groups of infected people were victims of God’s Wrath. The burdens faced by communities already struggling with discrimination, poverty, a lack of health care, and drug addiction have increased incrementally in the wake of this disease. The vast numbers of HIV cases in these communities have provoked fear and contempt among the politically powerful rather than mobilize them to develop adequate resources for essential medical research and necessary systems of care.…

    • 1788 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    “HIV is the virus that causes AIDS” (2010). The virus weakens the body’s defense system, this makes it hard on the body to fight off other health problems and as time goes by the body becomes less able to fight off diseases. In the United States there was one in four new cases, which women account for and two in three are African American women who got HIV from unprotected sex with a man.…

    • 401 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    HIV/AIDS is one of the deadliest diseases in the world. Although millions of people are afflicted with the disease throughout the world, this pandemic affects the continent of Africa the most by far. In Africa, the disease is increasing at an alarming rate. Even though increased effort is put in around the world to prevent AIDS, this widespread disease has increased significantly in the past decade. The toxic ailment continues to spread with a disturbing force and it has taken a long time to finally slow it down. In the late 2000’s, approximately 40 million people around the world were living with AIDS or the HIV infection, a significant rise from the 35 million diagnosed with AIDS in 2001 (Bertozzi). Sub-Saharan Africa remains the region most impacted by the HIV virus; however, the disease is now growing and spreading into different continents such as Asia and countries in Eastern Europe as well as other parts of Africa.…

    • 1099 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays