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Exploration paper
November 19, 2013

HIV/AIDS In Malawi Africa Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a disease in which the human body’s immune system breaks down. This virus courses Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). This virus is a contagious disease. It attacks and destroys the immune system. In medical terminology HIV is a retrovirus. That is when HIV gets into the body cells, it makes copies of itself and destroys the goods cells. As the goods cells are destroyed, the immune system weakens. As a result it is difficult for the body cells to fight any infections. Since the body is unable to fight infections, HIV turns to AIDS. This disease can be transmitted from one person to another. It is found mostly in body fluid; such as saliva, spinal fluid, semen, per-seminal fluid and body tissue. The symptoms could be high fever, sweating at night, having running bowel moment (diarrhea) and lack of energy or being weak. According to Australian nursing Journal, it is estimated that over 322,000 people are currently receiving HIV treatment in Malawi Africa. The first case of AIDS in Malawi was diagnosed in 1985 and by 1998 the national prevalence had reached 26%. The medications which are used to fight HIV infections are known as anti-retroviral drugs and treatment with them is known as anti-retroviral treatment. Due to the use of this anti- retroviral treatments, it is estimated that in 2010 the prevalence had dropped to 10.6% according to UNAIDS. The most common way to transmit HIV is by having unprotected sex, by sharing, using infected needles, pregnant mother pass it to her unborn child, breastfeeding if a mother has HIV. It should be noted that HIV cannot survive outside the body. Therefore,