Communicable Disease Paper: HIV/AIDSAnn M. GoveHCS/457July 9, 2014Rachaline NapierCommunicable Disease Paper: HIV/AIDSCommunicable Disease
HIV is a communicable disease that stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus; which itself can be broken down to this meaning H-Human- this particular disease is one that can only infect humans. The I- Immunodeficiency- HIV in this disease your immune system is weakened destroying important cells that fight infection and disease (AIDS, 2012). Having a "deficiency" immune system, you cannot fight or protect your body. The V-Virus- meaning the virus is only able to reproduce by overtaking the cells of its host body. In HIV is much like other viruses including those like the common cold or flu, the most important difference is that over time your immune system can kill most viruses from your body ("PubMed Health," 2013). The difference in HIV is that this virus and is unable to be eliminated by the immune system, and you are infected for life with the human immune virus. The HIV is a viral infection that will gradually destroy a healthy immune system, but the virus can lie dormant for long periods of time in your body’s cells attacking the T-cells or CD4 cells. Your boy relies on T-cells and CD4 cells to fight infections and other diseases, with HIV the cells get invaded, copying those cells destroying them (AIDS, 2012). A common mistake people make is thinking that someone with HIV has AIDS or that those with HIV will develop AIDS, is untrue (Nichols, Tchounwou, & Nena, Sarpong, 2009). Over time, the HIV virus can destroy too many of your CD4 cells that your body becomes unable to fight off infections or diseases, and the HIV progresses to AIDS, which is the end stage of HIV infection (Nichols et al., 2009). Although not everyone with HIV will progress to AIDS. If proper antiretroviral therapy (ART), you can keep your HIV levels low and live a fairly normal life (Tran, 2014).
Data and Interventions for Controlling HIV/AIDS
HIV infection is now found to be spreading globally with more than 40 million living with HIV/AIDS globally, and no known cure as of today (AIDS, 2012). More than 25 million deaths from AIDS and HIV since the first case reported in 1981, and 2.7 million were newly infected (AIDS, 2012). According to the CDC more than 1.1 million people in the United States are currently HIV infected, and close to 1 in 6 are not aware they are infected (AIDS, 2012). In 2011, nearly 50,000 in the US alone were diagnosed with HIV (AIDS, 2012).
The transmission of HIV/AIDS is from person-to-person contact mainly during sexual intercourse, through the exchange of bodily fluids, including semen, saliva, blood, vaginal fluids, and breast milk (PubMed, 2014). The virus can also be spread through sharing needles/syringes of infected people, during breast feeding, and in vaginal births, and less common now through infected blood transfusions (AIDS, 2012). The most profoundly affected group impacted by HIV remains the gay, bisexual, and men having sex with men (MSM). A surprising statistic was found to be the MSM group are accounting for the highest number of new infections in the US, in 2010,” MSM accounted for 78% of new HIV infections of males, and 63% of all new infections” (AIDS, p. 2, 2012).
Interventions in controlling the spread and infection of those with HIV is key in those developing AIDS, in many communities having public needle exchange programs, condom promotions community-wide, and the teaching of responsible choices is key in helping to manage this disease (CDC, 2014). An important part of those at risk or infected is the acceptance of the community and the health care industry itself in treating and acknowledging that HIV/AIDS is a disease and is not one to discriminate. Having clinics and patient access to obtain the needed medications, health care and counseling in managing the disease is vital in helping those manage this disease and be responsible in preventing