Introduction
Since the early years human development has always been shaped by diseases and ways of containing them. Diseases such as small pox, Tuberculosis and now AIDS from the HIV virus have influenced the way people live in the society and their agenda in preventing and treating diseases. This research is about influence of HIV virus on human development and what the society is doing in preventing the spread of the virus. Three articles on the virus will be reviewed with a discussion that is personal based on the human development topic.
Article Summaries
Article 1: Special Anniversary Review: Twenty-five years of human immunodeficiency virus research: successes and challenges.
The article by Weiss begins with the discovery of the HIV-1 virus in Paris on May 23, 1983 at the institute Pasteur. Originally the virus was thought as a western disease but tests of patients in Uganda, Congo, southern Africa, and in Western Africa confirmed that it was a global disease and was spreading at an alarming rate. Three years from the discovery of HIV-1 virus a new strain of the virus called HIV-2 was discovered in Cape Verde Islands and Senegal. The new strain was found to be less pathogenic, lower viral load, and no report of mother baby transmissions was reported (Weiss 201).
The course of infection begins with a primary infection in the mucosa area which causes high viraemia that has symptoms such as diarrhoea, lymphadenopathy, and fever (Weiss 201). The high rate of virus replication reduces to a lower set point where the progression is towards AIDS in untreated patients. It was also discovered that certain hosts were more susceptible to the virus than others. This was largely attributed to the hosts’ proteins that included class I and class II major histo-compatibility antigens that are polymorphic in humans making certain people have a lower risk of infection or progression to AIDS.
The discovery of the virus led to coming up with early blood testing as the major intervention method so as to identify the infected people. Behavioural and epidemiological interventions were also used to control the spread of the virus where the vulnerable groups are advised on safe sex, usage of sterilized syringes, and circumcision (Weiss 203). Since 1996, the combination of Antiretroviral Therapy has been used to reduce AIDS incidences in HIV infected people. The biggest failure in the current HIV research has been in developing an effective vaccine in preventing infection let alone coming with a cure.
Article 2: The global fight against AIDS: how adequate are the national commissions?
The article studies the role of the international community in fighting HIV/AIDS crisis globally. It focuses on promoting the ‘multisectorial’ approach in fighting the AIDS/HIV epidemic and its influence in curtailing the epidemic. It has been noted that since the early ninety’s, the approach was suggested as a way to curtail the rapid spread of HIV/AIDS. The approach stipulates that political commitment be incorporated in national governments, mobilising natural resources outside and inside the country, and coming up with programs on a national scale in fighting the virus (Putzel 1129). The proposal came about as a result of the slow progress in fighting the epidemic.
Two multilateral assistance instruments, that is, World Bank’s MAP (Multi-County Aids Program) launched in 2000, and the Global Fund to fight Aids, Malaria, and TB launched in 2002, have been used to further the objectives of the proposals. This was attained through encouraging countries to demonstrate a commitment of mainstreaming and to a multisectorial approach as conditions for gaining new resources to fight the epidemic. In developing the multisectorial approach two distinct goals have been formulated which are: certifying that all branches and departments of governments are involved in fighting the epidemic and that the fight is not entirely left to the health sector only; and the second goal is that non-state participation and action against the epidemic is encouraged and developed (Putzel 1130).
However, the organisational framework that is used to implement the approach has some demerits. The approach requires that developing countries develop a standalone national AIDS commission in order to receive funding from the two multilateral assistance programs. The pressures from the international funding organisations, reporting, designing programs, and meeting requirements of different donors have made the commissions inadequate in combating the epidemic. This has further contributed in the weakening of health sectors that have been trying to make sure that humanity copes with HIV/AIDS.
Article 3: Innate immunity against HIV: a priority target for HIV prevention research
The article provides a summary of the latest advances and current shortfalls of innate immunity to HIV infection, so as to provide key scientific knowledge that would be useful in coming up with new prevention strategies such as microbicides and vaccines. Strategies come about from productive discussions, data obtained from workshops on innate immunity against HIV held at Brussels, Belgium, and recent observations from literature.
Investigations and researches have advocated that innate responses are indispensable in determining results of HIV infection (Borrow et al. 86). This is so as it influences crucial affairs in the early stages of infection which include: efficiency of mucosal HIV transmission; setting up the initial foci of infection and local virus replication and dissemination; continued burst of viral replication; and perpetual establishment of the viral load (Borrow et al. 87). Furthermore, innate responses also influence the consequent level of incomplete viral reproduction and pace of infection progression.
Advances in innate immunity have the potential of forming a powerful effective strategy that would complement conventional approaches of HIV prophylaxis and therapy. There is also proof to suggest that many categories of innate responses act as both protective and pathogenic agencies of HIV infection. Furthermore, being conversant with the hosts’ innate response to the virus acquisition/spread versus control is a critical pre-requirement for implementation of prevention strategies through microbicide or vaccine format. It is also important to understand the mechanisms of triggering innate responses so as to reconcile their activity, and to explain the function-structure relationships of innate factors so that they can be specifically inhibited.
In conclusion, strategies for innate functions should be developed and focussed to complete tests to ensure the highest levels of protection without arousal of immunopathological effects. Areas of concern are identified which contain opportunities that would convert recent gains in innate knowledge into a design of new vaccine and microbicide strategies against HIV/AIDS.
Ethical Implications
Article 1: Special Anniversary Review: Twenty-five years of human immunodeficiency virus research: successes and challenges.
In my opinion the fight against the epidemic since its discovery in the early eighties should have been given the necessary attention it deserved. The subjective opinion that the disease was a life-style one and that only homosexuals acquired it, only managed to make researchers approach the problem differently as opposed if it were a disease for everyone. Too much time was wasted in the early years on testing people and understanding the disease while nothing was being done to seek for a cure. In addition, the alarming rate of HIV/AIDS infections in Africa in comparison to other parts of the world during the early periods only shows the skewed focus on research and infection of the disease.
However, from the article it was ethical for researchers to take their time in understanding the disease and coming up with interventions. The interventions that were proposed were in accordance to health principles which stipulate that patients should not be made to feel discriminated. The strategy of aggressive education and campaigns to curtail the spread worked although it failed in Africa probably because of the high illiterate rates. The current focus on prevention strategies is also acceptable as research on a cure has not been successful. However, prevention strategies should balance with cure based strategies where both strategies are to be accorded proper funding in addition to humility in approaching the epidemic so that a breakthrough is attained.
Article 2: The global fight against AIDS: how adequate are the national commissions?
The fight against HIV/AIDS that was originally left to the health sectors of individual countries was not effective at the time, and so it is ethical that added strategies be used to curtail the epidemic. The incorporation of governments in the fight provides the extra support and muscle that is needed in making people understand the seriousness of the disease. Furthermore, the presence of global financial institutions such as World Bank and GFAMT that provides funds towards the fight provides extra incentives for governments to take action.
It is therefore important that governments take a leading role in coming up with education programs and advertisements that promote changes in life style, and in marshalling resources that are essential in fighting the disease in the society. Proof of the success of this strategy is witnessed in Thailand and Uganda. However, the commissions that are in charge of overseeing the implementation of strategies should not be pegged to organisational frameworks and pressure from financial donors. These pressures make commissions not to be effective in fighting HIV/AIDS but rather focus on pleasing donors and conforming to its organisational frameworks.
Article 3: Article 3: Innate immunity against HIV: a priority target for HIV prevention research
With researchers being unsuccessful in finding a cure for HIV/AIDS then preventive strategies was the next best step in dealing with the epidemic. This is in accordance to the main health principle that states prevention is better than a cure. Although many people are infected it does not mean that they will be ignored as the preventive strategies can also be used in prolonging the life of the infected. Immunologists have come up with a prevention strategy than involves innate immunity theories and studies to come up with microbicides and vaccines for HIV/AIDS prevention.
The point of using innate immunity is that vaccines and microbicides that would be invented will be able to prevent new infections and reduce progression to AIDS. Therefore the funds that are channelled in this program are beneficial and have a high chance of ripping benefits as it has been studied that innate responses are determinants of HIV infection outcomes. However, this strategy should be used in complementary to other preventive and cure methods as humanity cannot afford to concentrate on one strategy which is only a speculation.
Works Cited
Borrow, Persephone, Robin J. Shattock, and Annapurna Vyakarnam. "Innate immunity against HIV: a priority target for HIV prevention research." Retrovirology 7.(2010): 84-100. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 17 Apr. 2011.
Putzel, James. "The global fight against AIDS: how adequate are the national commissions?." Journal of International Development 16.8 (2004): 1129-1140. Business Source Complete. EBSCO. Web. 17 Apr. 2011.
Weiss, R. A. "Special Anniversary Review: Twenty-five years of human immunodeficiency virus research: successes and challenges." Clinical & Experimental Immunology 152.2 (2008): 201-210. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 17 Apr. 2011.
