The definition of AIDS-Acquired
Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Aids is
caused by a virus called HIV. The virus attacks
the
immune system, the
body''s "security force" that fights infections. The virus is like the
flu or a cold that attacks the body''s immune system. HIV mostly infects
the T-cells also known as the T-helper cells. These cells are white
blood cells that turn the immune system to fight the disease. Once HIV
is in the cells it starts producing millions of little viruses, which
kill the cell then go on to infect other cells.
Scientists believe HIV was spread from monkeys to humans between
1926-1946. Researchers indicate that HIV jumped from chimpanzees to
humans as early as 1675 and didn’t establish itself as an epidemic in
Africa until 1930.
Some people have received HIV in emergency transfusions of unscreened
blood; mothers infected with HIV also have transmitted the virus to
unborn children in the womb, during delivery, breast milk and through
unprotected sex. Aids poses as a threat to the survival of millions of
people, especially in the Third World, where health is weakened by the
economic crisis. Most Africans do not have access to the effective
antibiotic
treatment for STD''s.
Infections that characterize Aids are tuberculosis, pneumonia, severe
diarrhea, forms of cancer, blindness and brain disorders. Treatment is
very costly and not accessible to the majority on Africa. The drugs
only increase the lifespan by a few months. There are two types of drug
groups. The first is called reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors. The
work by interrupting an early stage in the duplication of the virus and
slow down the spread of the HIV in the body. The second group of drugs
is called the protease inhibitors; these drugs interrupt the virus
replication at a later stage in its cycle. HIV can become resistant to
both groups and treatment consists of combination (cocktail) therapy.
The drugs have side effects that can be severe such as inflammation of
the pancreas, nausea, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal systems.