Hiv And Aids: A Tragedy

Hiv and Aids is a modern disease, only having been identified first in the USA in

1982 and was quickly identified as being a condition which needed to be covered under high risk life cover instead of regular life cover. It became a pandemic in just three decades with 8 million cases reported in 1990 and some 34 million by 2010. It is estimated that some 30 million people have died from Hiv and Aids since 1990. The disease is encountered all over the world, but sub-Saharan Africa has the highest incidence of the disease with an estimated 29.2 million people being infected. South Africa is the country with the highest incidence of Hiv and Aids of all countries in the world with some 6.3 million people infected by 2011. Kwa Zulu Natal and Mpumalanga are the provinces with most cases reported and the Western Cape with the lowest numbers. South Africa only introduced state backed treatment in 2010, described by many as being belated. Fortunately the growth of the incidence of the disease on a world-wide scale seems to have stabilized over the past 5 years or so.

Hiv and Aids are two separate issues but are irreversibly linked to one another. The process is set off with a person contracting HIV (Human immune deficiency virus), which over a period of time, unstoppably develops into AIDS. (Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) The HIV virus causes the collapse of the human immune system over time, which consists of three distinct stages that if left untreated can span 8 years, and with treatment can be lengthened up to 20 years or more before the onset of full blown AIDS. So, while HIV can't be cured, its effect can be delayed with antiviral drugs, but the immune system will eventually succumb to the onset of AIDS. AIDS is an acquired state of immunodeficiency (through HIV) which leaves the body vulnerable to opportunistic infections, i.e. such infections that normally would not have been encountered by a healthy immune system. Such infections are typically stains of pneumonia and certain cancers associated with AIDS. HIV can be tested for (ELIZA test) which indicates the number of antibodies in the immune system as the body naturally attempts to fight off the invasion of HIV.

HIV is mostly sexually transmitted, and while many people think it is transmitted by homosexuals, the truth is it is mostly transmitted through contact between heterosexuals, particularly in Africa where it is culturally acceptable to have multiple partners and the wearing of condoms are mostly frowned upon. HIV is transmitted via the mucus membranes of the organs during intercourse. Because the exposed area of the mucus lining in females is much larger than the urethra in males, females are more vulnerable to the virus. Blood transfusions with infected blood, the use of infected syringes and hypodermic needles and mother to child infections are the other major causes of HIV. You can also read more about hiv positive

While Hiv and Aids is a pandemic disease, it is also a lifestyle disease and can be prevented by making reducing the number of partners and wearing condoms.

by: Neville Parmley

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