Infectious Diseases

Infectious Diseases

Kara Gray

HCA/240

November 27, 2011

Debra Salyers

Infectious Diseases

A.I.D.S. (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is an infectious disease that affects more than 1,142,714 people in America alone. This number is based solely on those who have been diagnosed with the disease and does not take into consideration those who are affected unknowingly. A.I.D.S. begins its life as a virus known as Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This virus once introduced into the human body attacks cells in the immune system and rapidly makes clones of itself. This constant attack on the immune system weakens the immune system. The attack on the immune system can be compared to punching holes into a piece of armor. Once there are too many holes in the armor it becomes unable to protect you. H.I.V. is considered a virus until it causes your CD4 cells (immune cells) to drop below 200. Once your CD4 cell count drops below 200 H.I.V. then graduates to A.I.D.S. After the virus has graduated the body then becomes prone to what is called opportunistic infections. These infections are life threatening because the body has no defense against them. This means that something as simple as a cold or the flu that holds very little threat to a healthy person is extremely dangerous to an infected individual. A.I.D.S. does not kill a person it merely makes the infected individual unable to defend against the virus. Often times it is these simple infections that end up ending the infected persons life.

H.I.V. is transmitted via bodily fluid. Blood, semen (including precum), vaginal fluids, and breast milk are all forms of bodily fluids that can transmit the disease from one individual to another. Any situation that creates an opportunity for the transfer of these fluids creates an opportunity to pass the virus along. This includes but is not limited to sharing hypodermic needles, unprotected vaginal or anal sex, in some cases oral sex, and breast feeding.

There is no known...