Essay, Research Paper: Aids

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome, or AIDS, is a
disease entity that has been recognized since 1981. It is caused by
infection with the human immunodeficiency virus, which attacks
selected cells in the immune system and produces defects in
function. This leaves the body open to an invasion by various
infections, which are therefore called opportunistic diseases, and
to the development of unusual cancers. The virus also tends to
reach certain brain cells. Since the first AIDS cases were
reported in 1981, through mid-1991, more than 190,000 AIDS
cases and more than 120,000 deaths had been reported in about
162 countries worldwide. Sub-Saharan Africa in particular
appears to suffer a heavy Berden of this illness. So far there is no
cure or vaccine that exists for AIDS, but scientists belive a man by
the name of Dr. David Ho has discovered a cure. HIV infection
and AIDS represent one of the most pressing public policy and
public health problems world wide.


Definition of AIDS

the U.S Center for disease control has established criteria
for defining cases of AIDS that are based on laboratory evidence,
the presence of opportunistic diseases, and a range of other
conditions. Other complications of HIV infection include fever,
diarrhea, severe weight loss, and swollen lymph nodes. When
HIV-infected persons experience some of the above symptoms but
do not meet full criteria for AIDS, they are given the diagnosis of
AIDS-related complex, or ARC.

Historical Background

In the late 1970s, certain rare types of cancer and a veriety
of serious infections were recognized to be occurring in increasing
























numbers of previously healthy persons. First formally described
in 1981, the syndrome was observed predominantly to be affecting
homosexual and bisexual men. Soon thereafter, intravenous drug
users, hemophiliacs, and recipients of blood transfusions were
recognized as being at increased risk for disease as well. Further
study of AIDS patients revealed marked depletion of certain
white blood cells, called T4 lymphocytes. Then, in 1983, a T-cell
lymphotropic virus was separately discovered by Robert Gallo at
the U.S National Institutes of Health and Luc Montagnier at
France s Pasteur Institute.



Modes of Transmission

Researchers have isolated HIV from a number of body
fluids, including blood, semen, saliva, tears, urine, cerebrospinal
fluid, breast milk, and certain cervical and vaginal secretions.
Strong evidence indicates, however, that HIV is transmitted only
through three primary routes: sexual intercourse, either vaginal
or anal, with an infected individual; nondigestive exposure to
infected blood or blood products; and from an infected mother to
her child before or during birth. At least 97 percent of U.S AIDS
cases have been transmitted through one of the routes, with
transmission between homosexual men accounting for about 60
percent of AIDS cases. About 21 percent of AIDS cases occur in
intravenous drug abusers exposed to HIV infected through
sharing needles. The number of new cases of AIDS in
reproductive age is increasing at an alarming rate. AIDS has
become the leading cause of death for women between the ages of
20 and 40 in major cities of North and South America, Western
Europe, and Sub- Saharan Africa.