OVERVIEW
In the terminology of the WHO, AIDS is a viral disease that prevents the body to fight against infections and cancer ("HIV/AIDS", 2016). AIDS infected people are easily affected a large number of unusual and life-threatening diseases. These diseases are often treatable; however, successful treatment based on immune deficiency is caused by a virus there.
The causative agent of AIDS is HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). The name was adopted in 1986 as a term to describe the virus that causes AIDS. This allows the name itself to distinguish AIDS from other retroviruses and evidence offline. This virus was known as HTLV III, LAV (the virus associated with lymphadenopathy), ARV (retrovirus, associated with AIDS) (Sonenklar, 2011). It affects the immune system men and leaves her the ability to resist infection.
HIV VIRUS
HIV belongs to a class of viruses called retroviruses. Retroviruses are a class of viruses which reproduce themselves by using the enzyme reverse transcriptase that allows the virus to incorporate its genetic code into the host cell, triggering irreversible infection. Usually numerous elements of the immune system can produce antibodies to a particular virus, the result just get the immunity and the disease is retreating. Researchers begin to unravel the complex chemical mechanisms by which HIV is able to penetrate into white blood cells that eventually deplete the immune system. Reproducing them and multiplying in the body, HIV destroys the very cells that are only important to develop the body immunity to "disease. These cells are T-lymphocytes, also called CD4, a type of white blood cell that plays an important role in the interaction between the immune mechanisms of the body (Weeks & Alcamo, 2010). HIV is capable to replicate itself in large quantities, constantly needing to get into new, more infected cells, and therefore, survive.
THE TRANSMISSION OF HIV
The HIV virus was in saliva, tears, urine and feces. But no direct evidence that the virus is transmitted through these secrets and bowel movements. Bodily fluids, which the virus are the following:
Blood;
Seminal fluid;
Vaginal discharge;
Breast milk.
As a result of detailed epidemiological studies, conducted worldwide, revealed three ways of HIV transmission:
Sexual
Parenteral
Perinatal (Anderson, 2014).
Currently, there is no evidence that regular contact with infected people – even in a crowded home, in public places, educational institutions or in industry – are dangerous. There were no recorded cases of HIV transmission through food, water, when using the toilet, swimming in the pool, taking a hot bath, use of common utensils, phone or wearing used clothes. A number of studies have shown that the virus is not spread by insects.
THE CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS
About the disease AIDS and adults indicates the presence of at least two major signs, with less than one minor sign in the absence of known cases of immunosuppression such as cancer or serious disorder or malnutrition due to other recognized etiologies.
Main symptoms are:
Weight loss – 10% of body weight;
Chronic diarrhea – for a month;
Prolonged fever – for a month (Sax, Cohen, & Kuritzkes, 2011).
Side effects are:
Persistent cough for months;
Generalized itching dermatitis;
Recurrent herpes zoster;
Pharyngeal-oral candidiasis;
Chronic progressive herpes infection (herpes simplex);
Generalized lymphadenopathy (Anderson, 2014).
TREATMENT
Despite the fact that the final stage of HIV AIDS is not curable with adequate medical assistance on the stage of the infection can prolong a patient's life and make it more complete. The search for an HIV vaccine is a priority in medicine since 1984, and experts believe that now the mankind needs more than just this vaccine (Davis & Squire, 2010). This seriously complicates the search for a number of reasons. First, HIV appears to be able to "hide" in the cells having their genes to the genes inside the cells. Second, it can achieve good results in modeling the disease in animals that usually begins any research. Thirdly, because HIV infection is very dangerous, experimental testing of the vaccine on humans is performed with the utmost care.
References
Anderson, J. (2014). HIV and AIDS: Symptoms, Testing, Treatment, Risk Factors, Preventions, Nutrition, Marriage, Having Children, Legal Issues (1st ed.). CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.
Davis, M. & Squire, C. (2010). HIV treatment and prevention technologies in international perspective (1st ed.). Basingstoke, Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.
HIV/AIDS. (2016). World Health Organization. Retrieved 17 January 2017, from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs360/en/
Sax, P., Cohen, C., & Kuritzkes, D. (2011). HIV essentials (1st ed.). Sudbury, MA: Physicians' Press.
Sonenklar, C. (2011). AIDS (1st ed.). Minneapolis: Twenty-First Century Books.
Weeks, B. & Alcamo, I. (2010). AIDS: The Biological Basis (1st ed.). Sudbury, Mass.: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
