Epidemiology and Global Implications of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

HIV
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HIV
Causes and Mode of Transmission
HIV is a sexually transmitted disease that targets and weakens the immune system against various infections and cancers that individuals with a robust immune system can repel. Infected people gradually become weak as the virus destroys the immune cells’ functions (CDC, 2020). The disease is caused by a virus spread through intercourse, sharing sensitive equipment such as needles, contact with infected blood, and breastfeeding. HIV affects the CD4 T cells that fight against infections. After semen or vaginal emissions and infected blood enters their bodies, people get infected with the disease. The fluids enter the body through multiple channels, such as having vaginal, anal, and oral sex with an infected person. Mouth sores and small tears present in the vagina or rectum during sex provide a channel for the virus to enter the body. The virus can also be transmitted by blood transfusion (CDC, 2019). However, the risk of transmitting the disease through blood transfusion is low in developed countries since hospitals and blood banks conduct proper screening for donated blood. Lastly, infected mothers can infect their babies during pregnancy, delivery, and breastfeeding. As such, infected mothers should receive treatment for the disease during pregnancy to reduce the chances of infecting their babies.
Symptoms
The symptoms of the disease depend on the stage of infection. People infected with HIV are infectious within a few months after contracting the condition since they are unaware of their status. Infected people experience a flu-like sickness between 2 and 4 days after the virus enters the body. The illness lasts for a few weeks, accompanied by multiple symptoms such as fever, night sweats, and rash, to mention a few (Mayo Clinic, 2018). As the disease weakens the defense system, infected people develop other signs like weight loss and diarrhea—failure to receive treatments results in more severe symptoms such as cancers, tuberculosis, and multiple bacterial infections.
Complications
HIV weakens the body’s defense system making individuals prone to multiple infections and cancers. Diseases common to infected people include pneumocystis pneumonia, candidiasis, tuberculosis, and meningitis. Pneumocystis pneumonia is a fungal disease that causes severe sickness to individuals infected with HIV (Mayo Clinic, 2018). Candidiasis refers to an HIV-related infection that leads to redness and a thick coating in the mouth, tongue, and vagina. On the other hand, tuberculosis is an opportunistic disease that causes death to many people with AIDS. Lastly, meningitis refers to inflammation of the membranes and fluid covering the spinal cord and brain.
Treatment
HIV can be managed by treatment programs that contain three or more ARV drugs. The current ART does not treat the disease. Still, it oppresses virus reproduction within the body to allow an individual’s defense system to recover and gain strength to counter opportunistic infections and particular cancers.
Demographic of Interest
HIV is a global health problem that has claimed approximately 3...