Since the early 1980’s, HIV has been an enigma in the United States and around the world. Although first a total mystery to all, it now seems to perplex scientists more than the general public. I argue that this is simply due to a lack of information. The average citizen does not realize the complexity of the virus, which can make public service announcements and campaigns difficult to create. This also makes it extremely challenging to persuade those most at risk for the disease to seek preventative measures, rather than waiting until they have contracted it. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that, although rate of infection is declining, over 37,000 people were newly infected in 2014, with an estimated 1,122,900 people living with the infection at the end of 2015 (1). Most people are astonished that a vaccine has not been created, yet don’t bother to educate themselves on why. Even with billions of dollars poured into the creation of a vaccine, only one has made it to Phase III, where it then failed to be an effective …show more content…
A mutation occurs when an error is made in the copying of DNA in the virus. This can either be harmful or beneficial to the virus, depending on the mutation that occurs (6). Consequently, a mutation that is advantageous for the virus is usually detrimental to the host. Dr. Morgane Rolland states that HIV can mutate in a way that allows the virus to evade the immune system (7). This means that even if a vaccine were created that quickened the antibody response to the virus, it can go undetected and still infect the host. Since the virus is always mutating, it makes it impossible to create a vaccine considering there are so many different strains. A change in a single nucleotide, which is essentially the building block that makes up DNA, can result in drug resistance (8). As one can imagine, having that ability makes creating any sort of vaccine a daunting
There is no vaccine for HIV, but there are some drugs that can extend their lives. Some of the treatments that are offered are very expensive and are not available to all people with HIV. Also, these treatments do not work for about 20% of people who have tried them. Some of the best ways to avoid contracting HIV is to abstain from sexual intercourse and from sharing needles if you do drugs. Do not share personal items that may be contaminated with blood.
It has been said that addiction is the plague of the 21st century. In an age of unprecedented life expectancy and medical breakthroughs, people are dying from both disease and overdose that are self inflicted and the cure is currently out of reach. Implementing progressive ideas such as safe injection sites have been a battle, both for caring social workers and front line emergency workers looking to minimize the health risks associated with risk taking behaviors that inevitably occur with intravenous drug use. While the addicted population currently uses considerable government funding by way of shelter services as well as prison and jail time, safe injection sites are a necessary step in the battle against drug abuse as is a major prevention
The spread of aids threatens our population daily. Lives lost to it number over 12 million, including 2 mil...
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) represents a major public health concern in developing and developed nations alike, with an estimated 35.3 million people worldwide living with HIV1.One-third of a century’s worth of research has helped change HIV from a steady and certain killer into a relatively manageable infection when treated with appropriate care. However, the HIV puzzle is far from solved. 2012 estimates suggest acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS, caused by HIV) kills 1.6 million each year1. Reflecting the seriousness of the pandemic, the United States National Institutes of Health has made it a research priority, investing nearly three billion US dollars in HIV/AIDS research in 2013 alone—with similar amounts budgeted for future years2.
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) was first recognized as a new disease in 1981 when increasing numbers of young homosexual men succumbed to unusual opportunistic infections and rare malignancies (Gallant49).During this time, many people were contacting this disease because it was not discovered yet and people did not have knowledge about it.Scientists believe HIV came from a particular kind of chimpanzee in Western Africa. Humans contracted this disease when they hunted and ate infected animals. A first clue came in 1986 when a morphologically similar but antigenically distinct virus was found to cause AIDS in patients in western Africa (Goosby24). During this time, scientists had more evidence to support their claim about this disease. Once discovered this disease was identified as a cause of what has since become one of the most devastating infectious diseases to have emerged in recent history (Goosby101). This disease was deadly because it was similar to the Black Death, it was killing majority of the population. Since its first identification almost three decades ago, the pandemic form of HIV-1 has infected at least 60 million people and caused more than 25 million deaths ...
There are a lot of dangerous diseases in the world, some are more dangerous than others but it is important to know about the ones that can affect you. When it comes to these diseases you want to know more about them so you can protect yourself. In today’s society STDs have become a major issue. HIV/AIDS, Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Herpes, the list goes on and on (Planned Parenthood). So with all of these STDs you need to be aware of the symptoms and understand what it is and what it does so you can protect yourself.
Do you think that a medical treatment is the only option you can pursue to improve your sexual health? Well if yes, then trust me, you are completely wrong here! There is lot more YOU can actually do to make your sex life spicier and appealing! That’s true!
We have all heard the saying, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away”. This saying appears to be nothing more than a silly children’s rhyme. However, if we think about it, we still remember it and this silly little rhyme encouraged us to eat fruit. As we reflect back on our childhood many of us can recall our parents encouraging us to eat our vegetables and to go outside and play. Why did they do this? Because it was and is an essential part of our healthy growth. In present day, where technology and fast food are far more prevalent, children are receiving far less encouragement to be healthy. In order to live a healthy lifestyle children and adolescents need to spend, “60 minutes or more being physically active ("Physical Activity Guidelines
The reason for volunteering to test an AIDS vaccine would be no different than volunteering to test any other vaccine. Dedication and desire to make a difference in the world by way of offering one’s body and time for the betterment of society.
There is more than enough data that shows the extent to which AIDS cripples millions of individuals and households around the globe. Also, there are verified methods we can take to address this pandemic. We, as citizens of the world, need to recognize the severity of this problem and take action. Those in power must better distribute resources so that more is spent on saving the families and lives of AIDS stricken patients.
Human technology is constantly evolving, and with it society and medicine must follow suit. Every year, new breakthroughs in the field of medicine award mankind with a few more years of immortality. Scientists are constantly working to solve problems that once posed the threat of imminent death. Over two hundred years ago, the vaccine for Smallpox—one of the world’s deadliest killers—was discovered in 1796 (“CDC”). Since then, humans have been steadily eradicating every threat to individual health. Only last month, December of 2011, researchers from the University of Western Ontario revealed a new HIV vaccine that has been approved for human te...
Many don’t realize that the road to success isn’t so much a road as it is a winding,
The glamorous side of sex is everywhere; music, tv shows, movies and social media. To a mature adult, it is easy to ignore the sexual messages in those outlets. However, to a teenager, going through mental and physical changes and peer pressure, it is extremely easy to fall for what is shown to “cool.” Everyone has fallen for half truths to be cool in their teenage life. It just so happens that teen pregnancies and STDs are not one of those things that one can simply walk away from. Babies and STDs leave a lasting effect on everyone involved. The National Conference of State Legislatures states:
The emergence of HIV/AIDS is viewed globally as one of the most serious health and developmental challenges our society faces today. Being a lentivirus, HIV slowly replicates over time, attacking and wearing down the human immune system subsequently leading to AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) at which point the affected individual is exposed to life threatening illnesses and eventual death. Despite the fact that a few instances of this disease have been accounted for in all parts of the world, a high rate of the aforementioned living with HIV are situated in either low or medium wage procuring nations. The Sub-Saharan region Africa is recognized as the geographic region most afflicted by the pandemic. In previous years, people living with HIV or at risk of getting infected did not have enough access to prevention, care and treatment neither were they properly sensitized about the disease. These days, awareness and accessibility to all the mentioned (preventive methods, care etc.) has risen dramatically due to several global responses to the epidemic. An estimated half of newly infected people are among those under age 25(The Global HIV/AIDS Epidemic). It hits hard as it has no visible symptoms and can go a long time without being diagnosed until one is tested or before it is too late to manage.
No cure or vaccine now exists for AIDS. Many of those infected with HIV may not