Human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome - Essay Example

Human immunodeficiency virus and Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome Anna Fihar CONTENT Human immunodeficiency virus and Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome 1 INTRODUCTION 3 SCIENTIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE DISEASE 3 SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATION OF HOW IT IS DIAGNOSED 4 DESCRIPTION OF THERAPY/ TREATMENT/ PREVENTION 5 CURRENT ISSUES RELATING TO THE DISEASE 6 CONCLUSION 6 REFERENCES: 7 INTRODUCTION 3 SCIENTIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE DISEASE 3 SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATION OF HOW IT IS DIAGNOSED 4 DESCRIPTION OF THERAPY/ TREATMENT/ PREVENTION 5 CURRENT ISSUES RELATING TO THE DISEASE 6 CONCLUSION 6 REFERENCES: 7 INTRODUCTION HIV defined as human immunodeficiency virus that can cause AIDS – acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. It is quite dangerous infection disease of immune system unlike other infection diseases. Our organism cannot fight or get rid of HIV and once a person has been infected with HIV he will have it during rest of his life. AIDS is an incurable disease, but there are several treatment options that can help to control symptoms of AIDS. Nowadays AIDS is the most serious and quite spread all over the world disease of immune system. Global statistic shows that approximately 33.4 million of people are currently live with AIDS/HIV among them are 3.3 million of children. Also, approximately 97% of all patients that have AIDS/HIV are from low and middle income countries. The first cases of AIDS/HIV were detected in 1981. Since that time HIV lead to 25 million deaths all over the world. Therefore AIDS/HIV is the most important health challenge nowadays. (AIDS, 2009) SCIENTIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE DISEASE HIV related to the lentiviruses from Retroviridae family. This genus of viruses mainly characterizes by their ability to transmit quite huge amount of viral RNA into the DNA of the host cell. Also they can infect non-dividing cells. The main targets for HIV are cells of the immune system such as macrophages that are white blood cells and can protect our organism through phagocytosis from outer dangerous substances; dendritic cells that involve in process of antigen production and presenting on the surface of the T cells; T helper cells that play important role in adaptive immune system and immune responses. (Mayo Clinic,2014) HIV damages CD4+ cells that related to the T helper cells and the amount of such cells rapidly decreased. When level of CD4+ cells is lower than a minimal level cell-mediated immunity stops work properly and does not release phagocytes and cytokines as a response to an antigen. This is quite dangerous process that leads to the extremely high susceptibility of organism to opportunistic infections that are not that dangerous and usually do not cause disease in people with a healthy immune system. (Mayo Clinic,2014) SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATION OF HOW IT IS DIAGNOSED Usually infected patients are not aware about their disease. The symptoms of HIV are varied through patients. Sometime infected with HIV patients do not have any symptoms during 10 years. The most common are flu like symptoms that can appear within 2-4 weeks after HIV infection. Naturally the body response to the HIV causes Acute Retroviral Syndrome (ARS) also called primary HIV infection. It leads to symptoms such as fever, headache, sore throat, fatigue, swollen glands. There are several tests that may help to diagnose HIV/AIDS. Antibody tests are mainly characterized by detection of HIV antibody in the patient’s body. They include Enzyme Immunoassay (EIA) tests that use oral fluid, urine or blood for HIV antibodies detection and required up to 2 weeks for the results. Rapid HIV antibody tests help to conduct the analysis of patient`s blood, urine or oral fluid for HIV antibody in 10-20 minutes. In case if these tests showed positive results patient have to take a Western blot test to confirm HIV infection. The other types of diagnostic tests are antigen tests. These tests required blood samples and can be used at an early stage of 1-3 weeks after HIV infection. These type tests are not that common. The PCR test is defined as a polymerase chain reaction test. It can help to detect the genetic material of HIV in the blood sample within 2-3 weeks of the infection. Also, there is an option for home diagnostic that can be conducted through the home testing kits. It is an antibody test when patient collect their blood sample themselves at home and send it for the laboratory testing. (CDC,2014) DESCRIPTION OF THERAPY/ TREATMENT/ PREVENTION Nowadays there is no treatment or effective HIV vaccine that can help to cure HIV/AIDS. Possible treatment plan for patients that cannot survive without therapy include High Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) and preventable or active treatment of opportunistic infections. HAART is a therapy that consists of a combination of medicines that belongs to the different classes of antiretroviral agents. HAART involve use of a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) that damage the process of HIV`s reproduction inside the cells through blocking HIV`s possibility to use enzyme called reverse transcriptase that required for viral DNA production. The HAART also required two nucleoside analogue transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) that have similar way of action with NNRTIs and they damaged the process of HIV`s DNA replication. Usually NNRTs can be used in such forms as tenofovir or zidovudine and lamivudine or emtricitabine. NRTIs medication can contain such drug as Combivir that consists of zidovudine + lamivudine, Emtriva contains emtricitabine. HAART helps to decrease the progression of the AIDS. Also, it is possible to use other classes of antiretrovirals. Protease inhibitors (PIs) can block the action of enzyme protease and prevent division of long strands of viral replicated DNA to shorter functional units. PIs presented in such drug as Aptivus that includes tipranavir – nonpeptidic protease inhibitor, Crixivan that contains indinavir – protease inhibitor. Fusion/Entry Inhibitors can block the entering of HIV to the immune CD4 cells through receptor cites and can be used in form of Fuzeon that includes enfuvirtide – fusion inhibitor.( AIDS, 2009) Prevention of HIV/AIDS include using new condoms during every sexual act, telling a sexual partner if you are a HIV - positive, using a clean needle to inject drugs. There is a drug called Truvada that can helps to decrease the risk of sexually transmitted HIV in people who are in high risk. Also, pregnant HIV – positive women have to receive appropriate treatment during their pregnancy to reduce the risk of offspring HIV infection. ( AIDSMEDS, 2014) CURRENT ISSUES RELATING TO THE DISEASE Since the first cases of AIDS were detected in 1981 National AIDS surveillance system was developed. It provides data about HIV/AIDS transmission, treatment and prevention. Nowadays prevention and control of HIV/AIDS is a huge challenge for public health communities. It is quite important to detect HIV/AIDS cases nationally and at state and local levels. It can help to measure HIV/AIDS prevalence and provide more effective planning of HIV prevention and treatment. ( P L Fleming, 2000) CONCLUSION Therefore, HIV/AIDS is a human immunodeficiency virus that can cause incurable acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The main target of HIV is a human immune system cells such as macrophages, dendritic cells, T helper cells. There are several ways of HIV detection. Antibody tests, western blot test, polymerase chain reaction test, antigen tests. To maintain the life of patients with HIV/AIDS high active antiretroviral therapy exists. Also, it is quite important for everybody to prevent themselves from HIV through using of clean needles and new condoms during sexual act. Nowadays National AIDS surveillance system works on effective and safe treatment and vaccine for HIV/AIDS through investigation of all HIV/AIDS cases at state and local levels. REFERENCES: 1. AIDSMEDS.(2014). Treatments for HIV & AIDS.AIDFORAIDS Online. Retrieved from http://www.aidsmeds.com/list.shtml 2. AIDS.(2009).Global Statistics. AIDS.gov Online. Retrieved fromhttp://www.aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/hiv-aids-101/global-statistics/ 3. AIDS.(2009).Overview of HIV treatments. AIDS.gov Online. Retrieved from http://www.aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/just-diagnosed-with-hiv-aids/treatment-options/overview-of-hiv-treatments/ 4. CDC.(2014).HIV/AIDS. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Online. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/whatishiv.html\ 5. Mayo Clinic.(2014).HIV/AIDS. Mayo Clinic Online. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hiv-aids/basics/prevention/con-20013732 6. P L Fleming.(2000). Tracking the HIV epidemic: current issues, future challenges. National center for biotechnology information online. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1446284/ Read More