HIV / AIDS And Global Health - Essay Example

?HIV AIDS AND GLOBAL HEALTH BERACA FORTUNE Department of ______, ________ For over three decades Human Immuno-Deficiency virus infection / acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) has been challenging the healthcare delivery systems worldwide. The disease affects the human immune system because of human immunodeficiency virus. So far there is no vaccine available for HIV/AIDS; however, there are modalities that can lead to its prevention. HIV/AIDS is more rampant in Africa but has noteworthy presence in other continents as well. Advancements in last decade have lead to significant control over the spread and control of HIV/AIDS (Jacobsen, 2013). Keywords: HIV, AIDS, infection, prevention, pandemic David (51) told his family within days of finding out. “I and another friend were publically ‘outed’ in Las Vegas when the news headlines read ‘Gay Plague arrives in Las Vegas.” He later explained his family’s reaction: it was of disappointment and fear. At that time the virus was still in its early days and not many people knew much about it. They just knew it was deadly. He had to move. “I left Vegas in mid-1984 and went to Florida. I hid my HIV-status for the next few years and never really came out publically till around 1986. I have been fully out about my HIV status ever since.” Introduction Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a disease that is caused by Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus (HIV). However, not everyone infected with HIV develops AIDS immediately and at times people with HIV live with it for years together without developing AIDS (CDC, 2013). According to Ekouevi, Tonwe-Gold, & Dabis, (2005), HIV can be defined as a virus that affects body’s immune system by attacking white blood cells that are responsible for body prevention against infections. HIV weakens the immune system as a result of which the body is unable to defend itself against infections and illness including cancer. AIDS is the disease for which HIV is responsible, basically AIDS is a syndrome that shows up after HIV infection has exceeded. In other words, AIDS is said to have occurred when the individual’s immune system is weakened by HIV to a point where the individual develops one or more ‘opportunistic infections’ (OIs) – and these infections are also called AIDS defining conditions. Some of these OIs are such as tuberculosis, pneumonia (recurrent), Herpes among others. The symptoms of HIV vary from case to another and they also depend on the stage of the infection. At times, for quite some time people infected with HIV may not be aware about the infection and it is in this stage that they spread the virus spreads rapidly. There are two stage signs and symptoms of HIV infection (early stage and late stage). Early stage symptoms include weakness, weight-loss, fever and late stage symptoms include night sweats, blurred vision, bouts of protracted fever, and white spots on tongue. Between 1999 and 2000 the deaths of AIDS in Africa outnumbered the deaths in all the wars on the continent (Shah, 2009). But the gradually advances in medicine and nursing have led means and ways the spread of HIV/AIDS could be contained. The fact is visible in the data recorded in the most recent Global Report released by UNAIDS earlier this year (UNAIDS, 2013). This research paper aims at defining HIV/AIDS, identifying its origin, how the epidemic has affected people in the entire world, modes transmission, cure and prevention among other issues. Origin of HIV AIDS The first case of AIDS was realized in the USA in 1981 but it gave very little prior information with regard to its viral origin. On the other hand many people assume that HIV developed from a form of SIV that is contained in a certain type chimpanzee in West Africa. It is assumed that is from there when HIV spread in the entire world. Siegfried, Muller, Deeks & Volmink (2009) states that it is HIV virus causes AIDS and hence to establish the source of HIV virus researchers to establish its origin. The HIV origin goes beyond the academic interest of a person. The clear understanding of the origin of the virus and how it was developed can be vital in coming up with a more effective vaccine as well as treatment against HIV in future. Mode of HIV/AIDS transmission . HIV/AIDS risk factors include having unprotected sex (penetration); through blood transfusion, medical procedures that involve cutting or piercing; through another sexually transmitted infection such as syphilis, herpes, chlamydia etc.; by sharing contaminated needles, syringes; through accidental needle based injuries at healthcare service delivery settings; drug users as well as breastfeeding milk (WHO, 2013). Prevention and cure of HIV infection Till date there is no vaccination available for HIV, however, HIV infection can be prevented (Jacobsen, 2013). Researchers have claimed that intrapartum transmission of HIV can be reduced by increasing access to interventions such as one dose of nevirapine to mother and newborn baby. HIV infection that is transmitted sexually can be prevented by the use of male and female condoms for homosexual and heterosexual transmission and male circumcision also helps in preventing transmissionamongst heterosexuals (Siegfried, Muller, Deeks&Volmink, 2009). HIV infection can also be prevented if the HIV infected person follows an effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimen. Mother to child transmission (MTCT) can also be prevented if both the mother and the child are provided ART. HIV infection through Needles can be prevented if sterile needles are used. HIV/AIDS and Global Health HIV/AIDS has evolved into a global issue; it is seen as one of the most challenging issues being faced by the healthcare delivery systems across the globe. A per World Health Organization, till date HIV has claimed over 36 million lives. In 2012, there were over 35 million people living with HIV. ART has shown to be promising with regard to HIV/AIDS treatment, in 2012 there were over 9 million people receiving ART (WHO, 2013). The figure above shows Epidemiological Status (HIV) worldwide - 2012 (UNAIDS, EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STATUS -HIV) Statistic of Epidemic in the USA The overall HIV infection in the USA is stable with an average of about 50,000 infections annually. However, some groups in the overall estimation are affected more than others. For instance, the MSM are the ones that have the highest rate of HIV infection among all races and black Americans have the smallest percentage of people infected with HIV/AIDS. Through HIV diagnosis in 2011 it was established that 49,273 people were diagnosed with HIV infection while those who were diagnosed with AIDS were 32,052. In USA, it is estimated that 1,155,792 have been diagnosed with AIDS up to date (Jacobsen, 2013). Lastly, it is estimated that an overall of 636,000 people with an AIDS diagnosis have in the USA. The figure shows the new HIV subpopulations that are infected by HIV/ AIDS in the USA. HIV/AIDS in Africa Sub-Saharan Africa is worst hit as far as prevalence of HIV is concerned. Out of the 36 million HIV infected people over two-thirds of them live in sub-Saharan Africa that is over 22 million people live in sub-Saharan Africa and over 90% of the HIV infected population lives in Africa. In 2011, over 70% of those who died of HIV/AIDS infection, lived in Africa. Owing to this pandemic the average life-expectancyin sub-Saharan Africa is less than 50 years. In 2010 only half the HIV infected African population could receive ART treatment (Shah, 2009). HIV AIDS in Asia In Asia, each and every county is handling the HIV/AIDS epidemic independently. For instance, countries such as Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar have made progress and they have realized a 25% decline in HIV prevalence between 2001 and 2011. However, in Philippines, Indonesia and Bangladesh the number of people infected with HIV appreciated by more than 25% as from 2001 to 2011 (CDC, 2013). Further, there exist huge variations about HIV infections within countries. For example, in China the six provinces that has the highest number of HIV infections amounts to 75.5% of the entire population living with HIV/AIDS in the county. HIV/AIDS in Europe IN Europe, HIV infection is a key public health concern because it is evident the transmission rates are high in most countries. WHO figures show that people who had been infected with HIV in 2011 was 2,300,000. Further, the causes of HIV are severe because their high cases of paid sex, homosexuality, and heterosexual as well as mother to child infection. In Europe there are few centers for testing and counseling hence most people have not been diagnosed for the for HIV/AIDS (WHO, 2013). This has caused variations about the people who have diagnosed from those that the national surveillance system captures. Conclusion In conclusion, it is evident that nobody has been able to identify the source of HIV. HIV/AIDS has been a key challenge to most countries in the world. For instance, In the US the HIV/AIDS figures are in the list of major challenges those the American healthcare is facing. Lastly countries are handling the issue of HIV/AIDS differently but the disease will be dealt with more effectively if people put into consideration the prevention measures that are in place. References: Jacobsen, J., K., (2013). Introduction to Global Health: Jones and Bartlett Publisher CDC., (2013). HIV in the united states: At a glance. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/statistics/basics/ataglance.html Ekouevi, D., Tonwe-Gold, B., &Dabis, F. (2005). Advances in the prevention of mother-to- child transmission of hiv-1 infection in resource-limited settings. AIDS Read, 15, 4 79–80. Shah, A. (2009, November 29). . Aids in africa. Retrieved from http://www.globalissues.org/article/90/aids-in-africa Male circumcision for prevention of heterosexual acquisition of HIV in men. Cochrane Database Syst Rev, 15(2), CD003362. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD003362.pub2 UNAIDS. (2013). Global report 2013. Retrieved from http://www.unaids.org/en/resources/campaigns/globalreport2013/factsheet/ WHO (2013, October). Hiv/Aids fact sheet n°360. Retrieved from http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs360/en/ Read More