Communicable Diseases Paper

COMMUNICABLE DISEASES PAPER

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    The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a kind of virus that is known as a retrovirus.   When this virus comes into contact with tissues that are in the eyes, anal area, mouth, a break in the skin, or the vagina, it infects the human.   During all stages of the disease, the virus is present throughout the body.   HIV infection is normally considered a disease that progresses slowly.
    The first, or primary stage of infection usually begins within weeks of acquiring the virus.   Even though it normally resolves within weeks, it is similar to a mono- or flu-like disease.   A long lasting stage without symptoms, known as asymptomatic infection, is chronic and usually lasts from 8 to 10 years.   When the immune system of the human has been decreased and problems surface, this is known as the symptomatic stage and the person is said to have acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS. The symptoms “are caused by the complications of AIDS, which include one or more unusual infections or cancers, severe loss of weight, and intellectual deterioration” (Daar, 2010).
    When HIV duplicates, it can change its own structure. This can render previous drug therapy ineffective.   The purpose of drug therapy is two-fold:   to slow down the progression of the disease and   to halt further injury to the person’s immune system by the virus.   Therapy for HIV “includes combinations of drugs that decrease the growth of the virus to such an extent that the treatment prevents or markedly delays the development of viral resistance to the drugs” (Daar, 2010).   The most effective blend of drugs for treatment is yet to be found.   The therapy must be followed closely without missing doses and must be well tolerated.
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      Poor health conditions, overcrowding in inadequate housing and poverty are some environmental factors that add to the AIDS problem.   Groups that have a lifestyle that can cause infection include...