StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...

AIDS in the United States - Research Paper Example

Cite this document
Summary
AIDS is the most infectious disease the world has known in more than a 100 years.The human impact has been the most evident in Sub-Sahara Africa, AIDS region of origination, where at least 25 million persons are known to be infected…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER96.4% of users find it useful
AIDS in the United States
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "AIDS in the United States"

Download file to see previous pages

20 percent of adults have AIDS in seven countries of this area of Africa. The initial slow reaction and lack of concern during the early 1980’s and beyond by the U.S. is clear today. Forty thousand new instances of the disease is reported each year but exactly how many persons are infected is not known because the method intended used to track AIDS is flawed and not likely to be fixed anytime soon. However, the social effect of AIDS has been widely acknowledged. This has served to inform the public and slow the progression of the epidemic but not in the African American community.

The continuing proliferation of AIDS is allowed by the lack of appropriate vaccines and the virus’ ability to evolve as it invades, weakens and finally destroys the immune system. HIV, the disease which develops into AIDS, evolves so quickly that its exterior molecules are in a continuous state of transformation; consequently, the human immune system and the vaccines used to battle the virus, cannot catch up. “As it replicates within a single infected individual, HIV accumulates mutations that change the shape of its surface proteins, evolving right out from under the antibodies produced by the victim’s immune system” (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, 2007).

Due to AID’s capability of evolving at such a considerable pace, it rapidly counters medical treatments. The HIV cells which live beyond the primary drug concoction reproduce and their decedents transmit the drug resistant strain. This is the rationale for a patient’s drug therapy including what is generally called a ‘drug cocktail’ (various types of HIV drugs used together) which, in concert, act to hinder the further development of the resistant (strong) HIV viral strains. If a smaller amount of the resistant cells continue to exist, the less likelihood the disease will continue to spread.

This is just one of the primary evolutionary models used by biomedical scientists to battle AIDS. (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, 2007). AIDS made the evolutionary leap from chimpanzees to people. In all likelihood, the transfer happened by people using chimpanzees as a source for meat. The virus began in two varieties of monkeys which were eaten by chimpanzees which may cannibalize when food sources run short. A hybrid virus found in these monkeys (SIV) dispersed via infected chimpanzees and a mutated type (HIV-1) was ultimately transmitted to humans.

Just like chimpanzees, people carry two variations of the disease. HIV-2 is the other and the less virulent. “Because of the similarity between chimpanzees and humans, any virus that successfully adapts to spreading among chimps would be a candidate for a further jump to humans, a potential HIV-3,” according to Paul Sharp, Institute of Genetics at University in England. (cited in Lovgren, 2003). One percent of the Earth’s inhabitants have contracted AIDS. The disease is to blame for killing of nearly three million people every year.

AIDS is spread through use of use needles and unprotected sex. There is overwhelming evidence that needle exchange programs (NEPs) are very effective in preventing the transmission of the AIDS viruses yet do not promote drug use as critics of these programs contend. When first presented with this idea, Congress thought that NEPs would encourage drug abuse and they would send the message that the federal government sanctioned drug use by encouraging clean needle dispersal. “Restricting access to sterile syringes only acts to exacerbate the IDUs already desperate situation and is not in the best interest of the community regarding health, criminal or financial concerns.

Free, legal and easily

...Download file to see next pages Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“AIDS in the United States Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words”, n.d.)
Retrieved de https://studentshare.org/biology/1392152-aids
(AIDS in the United States Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 Words)
https://studentshare.org/biology/1392152-aids.
“AIDS in the United States Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/biology/1392152-aids.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF AIDS in the United States

Regan to Obama years

Regan to Obama Years Author's Name Institutional Affiliation Regan to Obama Years The history of united states was significantly shaped by events that took place in the last half of 20th century and beginning of 21st century.... Some of the events were important to the progress of united states as a world superpower.... The other major historical turning point was increased growth of united states economy in a rate that was never witnessed before during Reagan and Clinton period....
4 Pages (1000 words) Essay

Using Demographic Data in Health Care

Rates computed as per 2006-2008 American Community Survey 3-Year Estimates and CDC HIV Surveillance Report: Diagnoses of HIV infection and AIDS in the United States and Dependent Areas (2009).... A Comparison of the Incidence and Prevalence Rates of HIV/AIDS among Hispanics and the Whole united states “The incidence is the number of new HIV infections that occur during a given year” according to the report given by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2011)....
7 Pages (1750 words) Essay

Epidemiology of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome in the United States

Spatial-analytic analyses of the diffusion and distribution of AIDS in the United States have indicated that AIDS during the early 1980s was concentrated in major metropolitan areas in California, New York/ New Jersey/ Connecticut/ Rhode Island, and Florida, and has since spread outward from these core areas.... The first case in the united states of obtained immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) was reported in 1981.... Large cities in the united states have become central in the developing characterization of AIDS....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Reducing the Risk of Perinatally Acquired HIV Infection

With the advances in medical science, perinatal HIV-1 transmission rates in the united states have decreased strikingly due to an amalgamation of suitable measures taken.... With the advances in medical science, perinatal HIV-1 transmission rates in the united states have decreased strikingly due to an amalgamation of suitable measures taken; encompassing improved voluntary counseling and HIV-1 testing (VCT) for pregnant women, prevalent use of antiretroviral prophylaxis or combination of antiretroviral therapy, avoidance of breastfeeding, and elective cesarean delivery (Shetty, 2005)....
3 Pages (750 words) Assignment

AIDS in United States

… The researcher of the paper aims to analyse the effects of AIDS on the united states.... The essay focuses on HIV (Human immunodeficiency virus) which leads to aids (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) as the most infectious disease that has emerged in more than a century.... This is but one of the fundamental evolutionary concepts used by biomedical researchers to fight aids....
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay

Chapter #10

he number of reported cases of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in the united states reached maximum during which period?... Brucellosis is no longer found in farm animals in the united states.... According to the animation, surgical infections account for what percentage of nosocomial infections?...
2 Pages (500 words) Assignment

Geography home work

The diffusion of AIDS in the United States follows an S-Curve diffusion pattern as reflected in the changes in the rates of prevalence according to region and the reduction in new infections in recent years.... The Middle East view the “Western System as a unified threat led by the united states while the Western side view the Middle East as a hostile, war torn area of radical fundamentalists and suicide bombers” (Kuby et al.... The main reason for New York, Miami, and LA/SF were the high rates of drug abuse that allowed the use of and sharing of needles, social status and sexual habits that promoted having unprotected sex and high population density as they are urban regions and it was the main areas where aids began then spread....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

The Effects of AIDS on the United States

This discussion “The Effects of AIDS on the united states” examines the genesis of the virus, why it is difficult to control, the prevalence of infection, its economic impact, and how businesses are following the government's lead by ignoring the growing problem.... hellip; The author states that the human and economic impact has been most apparent in its area of origination, Sub-Sahara Africa where an estimated 24 million people are infected....
6 Pages (1500 words) Assignment
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us