Herpes. Herpes, a word that all of us know, something that gets made fun of by the raunchiest of comedians, a suggestion of a loose life style, a complex virus that was only recently seen as something to be feared since the early 1970’s for a target of money for pharmaceutical companies. Yet as common to be referenced by Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet, and is a virus that is known worldwide, and almost every one has experienced in one-way or another.
According to Medline Plus, the herpes simplex virus, also known as HSV, causes the infection known as Herpes. There are two types of HSV; there is Oral herpes that causes cold sores around the mouth or face and Oral herpes, or HSV 1, usually causes cold sores, however it is quite easy to transmit this disease to the genital area and can cause genital herpes. There is also HSV 2 and that is the usual cause of genital herpes, and like HSV 1, HSV 2 can infect the mouth. HSV 2 is also known as genital herpes and can affects the anal, buttocks or genital areas. This is a sexually transmitted disease, however there are other herpes infections that can affect the eyes, skin, or other parts of the body. Herpes can be dangerous in newborn babies or in individuals with weak immune systems.
The Herpes virus is actually from a family of viruses that include 8 different virus strains that affect humans. The viruses are known through numbers 1 through 8 or HHV1-HHV8. HHV 1 and 2 are listed above while HHV 3, known as varicella zoster virus, and that causes chickenpox. HHV 3 can also cause a recurring skin infection known as herpes zoster or shingles. HHV 4 is known as the Epstein Barr virus, and is responsible for the easily spread mononucleosis, commonly referred to as “mono”. HHV 5 is known as...
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...nd make people aware that it is more common than people realize and that a rather large part of America has the illness, whether they know it or not. This paper also discussed how the virus, could target certain individuals more easily than others based on the genetic makeup of an individual and families.
Works Cited
University of Utah Health Sciences (2008, January 31). Genetic Link To Human Herpes Susceptibility Found. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 13, 2014, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2008/01/080128121703.htm
Dr. Kinghorn, G. (2014, January 14). Dr. george kinghorn: "an update on herpes simplex". Retrieved from http://www.herpes.org.uk/art_kinghorn.html
Whitley, R. J. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK8157/
National institutes of health. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/herpessimplex.html
“The Terrifying Normalcy of AIDS” is an essay written by Stephen Jay Gould, in which he talks about a dangerous disease that is spreading and becoming an issue to mankind, and that it is more of a mechanism than an irregular occurrence which I agree with. Stephen Jay Gould also shares his thoughts on our capabilities with the utilization of technology are boundless; especially when it comes to these types of ailments that threaten our kind, which is something I do not side with. Also, Stephen Jay Gould goes on to say that most people are misinformed about the disease and do not fully understand it.
Most people in the U.S. learn STDs in their health class in high school. Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that causes sores over private parts or all over the body in a later stage. Syphilis is caused by a bacteria called spirochete. The spirochete cannot survive outside the body. The only way to get the disease is by intimate contact, but catching it is rare. Having more than one partner could increase the chances to catch the disease. The spirochete enters in a break in your skin genitals area or mouth. Once in your body, about three weeks it becomes a sore or have multiple sores. The sore looks like a crater on the surface of the skin. In the first stage it can be treated easily with antibiotics or penicillin. The second stage the syphilis spreads to the rest of the body. It is visible in your hand and soles on your feet. It can cause cardio-vascular disease, mental problems, paralysis, blindness and tumors. Syphilis has links to HIV/AIDS. It also attacks your nervous system. After infection it takes 21 to develop any symptoms for other people it takes from 10 to ninety days. It acts like no other disease known. The last stage is the deadliest if ignored, by the person. The damage obtained by syphilis is irreversible. By practicing safe sex (condoms), or having one sex partner can prevent these
Carl Zimmer the guest speaker of this broadcast states that in 1981 doctors described for the first time a new disease, a new syndrome which affected mostly homosexual men. The young men in Los Angeles were dying and the number of cases was growing faster and faster. The number of deaths was increasing from eighty to six hundred and twenty five in just the first few months. After the first few cases in LA, AIDS was declared to be one of the deadliest pandemics the world had ever seen after the plague in the Middle Ages.
Shingles, herpes zoster, is a very contagious and painful rash, or blister that appears on the skin. These rashes most commonly appear on the sides of the body in stripes. The stripes are made up of many very painful blisters caused by a certain type of virus. The varicella zoster, most commonly known as the chicken pox virus attacks the nerve roots in that area. The herpes zoster virus is in the herpes family, including HSV, herpes simple virus, which causes cold sores, fever blisters, and genital herpes. (WebMD, 2011) Most people are required to get the chicken pox shot when they are children although some do not. The chicken pox shot helps to keep out the virus by keeping it dormant in the nerves. The varicella zoster virus stays in a few cells; this is how shingles appear suddenly. It appears when the dormant cells become active in the later years of life.
Herpesviruses are not only been present in humans, they are most often found in commonly studied animals which implicatively insinuates the amount of ...
and ears, and in the mouth and pharynx. The causative virus has been shown to be
Human herpes virus (HHV-8) poses a challenging task for researchers determining its role in Kaposi’s sarcoma (KS). People with KS are distinguished by their placement in four categories. The first category consists of elderly males of Mediterranean or Eastern European Jewish descent. The second category consists of individuals of all ages from Africa. Neither one of these categories is associated with immune deficiency or known environmental factors. The last two categories are associated with organ transplants or HIV-1. In all forms of KS males are predominantly affected.
Almost no one on Earth has any immunity at all to this virus, which makes ordinary vaccines useless against it. The sudden spread of the virus into Europe foreshadows an epidemic development that could be worldwide. Ultimately, there is no way to protect ourselves against epidemics. They will keep disappearing and coming back in new forms.
What is the human papillomavirus (HPV)? According to the US government’s National Cancer Institute, human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are a collection of more than one hundred viruses, many types having the ability to grow tumors or polyps that are malignant and others benign. Certain of the viruses are capable of forming genital warts. The HPVs that cause the common warts on hands and feet are different from those that cause growth in the throat or genital area (Human Papillomavirus). Professors Joe Cummins and Dr. Mae-Wan Ho inform us that some types are associated with cancer, and are called “high risk” HPVs. Of the more than one hundred types of HPVs, over thirty can be passed on through sexual contact. Most HPV infections occur without any symptoms and go away without treatment over the course of a few years. However, HPV infection sometimes persists for many years, with or without causing detectable cell abnormalities. Infection from “High risk” types of HPV is the main cause of cervical cancer. Pap smears have also led to earlier detection of these infections. Nearly all women who are sexually active will have HPV inf...
Kent ME, Romanelli F (February 2008). "Reexamining syphilis: an update on epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and management". Ann Pharmacother 42 (2): 226–36. doi:10.1345/aph.1K086
Pathogens are a type of microorganism that spreads viral and bacterial diseases. These diseases when present in human blood and body fluids are known as blood borne pathogens, and can spread from one person to another. (Worcester polytechnic institute) The most serious types of blood borne diseases are the hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV), which can cause liver damage; and HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), which is responsible for causing AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). The blood borne pathogens can be spread when the blood or body fluids (semen, vaginal fluid, breast milk, and amniotic fluid) of an infected individual comes into contact with mucous membranes or an open sore or cut on the skin of another person. Mucus membranes are located in the eyes, nose, mouth, and other areas as well. ("Bloodborne pathogens: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia") Two of the most common ways that pathogens are transmitted is through the exchange of fluids during sexual intercourse or by sharing infected IV needles. (Worcester polytechnic institute)
Epstein-Barr virus, which is also known as Human herpes virus (HHV-4), is an important virus because it infects a large portion of humans. (Odumade, 2011). Although most people become infected with the Epstein-Barr throughout some time in their life, it is often asymptomatic because it can exist in its latent phase. When people do show symptoms it is often due to infectious mononucleosis which is the disease that the Epstein- Barr virus can cause. The Epstein–Barr virus is named after Michael Anthony Epstein, a microbiologist at the University of Bristol, and Yvonne Barr a graduate from the University of London. Together they discovered and documented the virus (Wikipedia, 2014).
Prunella Vulgaris is flavinoid rich, an anti-inflammatory, high in tannins, and used in many existing herpes treatments. Tea Tree Oil is also an anti-viral, though it has no effect on the herpes virus after it has penetrated the cell and can be irritating to mucous membranes. St. John’s Wort is a very old traditional treatment studied since the early 90’s with no definitive effect on the herpes virus. St John’s Wort also interacts with numerous drugs, including oral contraceptives, serotonin reuptake inhibitors and triptans (migrane medications). Aloe Vera has anti-viral qualities and helps soothe and speed healing of existing lesions. Geranium Maculatum was an addition to the ingredients that puzzled us, as this is an herbal remedy that was used in the 1800’s primarily to treat diarrhea, and has no known effect or benefit to treat herpes. Geranium Maculatum is also high in
In the beginning the movie the scientist used many methods to identify the virus. One of the methods was when the character Dr. Dan Francis, compares the disease with a similar virus called Hepatitis B. Although they are similar, it doesn’t prove a lot. After that didn’t work, they realize that not only gay people could get it. Many people with donated blood, started to have it, including babies. The doctors and scientist decided to tell the blood banks to start checking their blood. This could show people that it was ant only gay men who could have it but also, anybody and it could be transferred by blood also. However the blood banks denied checking their blood. Later on scientist in France discovered the virus and told the scientist in America.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases Sexually Transmitted Diseases STDs, a.k.a venereal diseases, infectious diseases passed from one person to another during sexual contact. STDs are the most common infections known. More than 12 million people in the United States, including 3 million teenagers, are infected with STDs every year. The United States has the highest STD rate in the world about one in ten Americans will contract an STD during his or her lifetime. People who do not know they are infected risk infecting their sexual partners and, in some cases, their unborn children. If left untreated, these diseases may cause pain or may destroy a woman's ability to have children. Some STDs can be cured with a single dose of antibiotics, but AIDS cannot be cured. Those most at risk for contracting STDs are people who have unprotected sex—without using a condom, people who have multiple partners, and people whose sex partners are drug users who share needles. Static’s show that Americans between the ages of 16 and 24 are most likely of catching STDs than older adults, because younger people usually have multiple sexual partners than an older person in a long-term relationship. Teenagers may be embarrassed to tell their sexual partners they are infected Teenagers may also be embarrassed or unable to seek medical attention for STDs. This means that they only more likely to pass the disease to other young people and have a greater risk of suffering the long-term consequences of untreated STDs. STDs are transmitted by infectious bacteria, viruses, parasites, fungi, and single-celled organisms called protozoa that live in warm, moist parts of the body, like the genital area, mouth, and throat. Most STDs are spread while having sex, but oral sex can also spread disease. Some STDs are passed from a mother to her child while pregnant, when the disease enters the baby's bloodstream, during childbirth as the baby passes through the birth canal, or after birth, when the baby drinks infected breast milk. AIDS can be transmitted by blood contact such as open wounds, between people who share infected needles or received through an injection of infected blood. Some people believe that STDs can be transmitted through shaking hands or other casual contact, or through contact with inanimate objects such as clothing or toilet seats, but they can’t. Chlamydeous, is from trachoma is bacterium, is the most commonly transmitted STD in the United States.