One of the most common known Sexual Transmitted Diseases (STD’s) that has become a global health issue is the Human Immunodeficiency Virus better known as HIV. HIV targets the immune system and weakens people’s surveillance and defense systems against infections and some types of cancer (WHO, 2014). HIV targets specific cells in the immune system they are the CD4 cells or preferably known as T cells (CDC, 2015).
HIV has different symptoms depending on the stage the virus is in. The reason so many people have HIV is because in the beginning the contaminated person does not know they have the virus thus, leading to the spread of the virus. During the first stage of HIV, the infected person may have no symptoms or flu like symptoms (CDC, 2015). There is no telling when HIV has advanced into its deadliest stage; one is then at a very high risk of developing Acquired Immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
In the 1980’s HIV was thought to be originated in the USA from this group of gay men (avert.org, 2014). However, scientist have identified that HIV is actually a virus very similar to that found in chimpanzees’ called SIV (CDC, 2015). SIV is simian immunodeficiency virus that is only to affect primates. It is said that it was transmitted when humans hunted infected chimps and ate the meat of the infected chimp and thus …show more content…
Sadly, this is not the case; HIV has taken many lives worldwide. It has killed up to 39 million people to this day (WHO, 2014). In recent years about 1.5- 2 million people have died from HIV related issues. In third world countries like Africa with little resources and good hygiene HIV has infected up to 70% of the population, women who are HIV positive and have children pose a great threat to their own children who may also develop HIV. Children born with HIV are at a high risk of becoming infected with AIDS due to lack of resources in low income
HIV has different symptoms depending on the stage the virus is in. The reason so many people have HIV is because in the beginning the contaminated person does not know they have the virus thus, leading to the spread of the virus. During the first stage of HIV, the infected person may have no symptoms or flu like symptoms (CDC, 2015). There is no telling when HIV has advanced into its deadliest stage; one is then at a very high risk of developing Acquired Immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
In the 1980’s HIV was thought to be originated in the USA from this group of gay men (avert.org, 2014). However, scientist have identified that HIV is actually a virus very similar to that found in chimpanzees’ called SIV (CDC, 2015). SIV is simian immunodeficiency virus that is only to affect primates. It is said that it was transmitted when humans hunted infected chimps and ate the meat of the infected chimp and thus …show more content…
Sadly, this is not the case; HIV has taken many lives worldwide. It has killed up to 39 million people to this day (WHO, 2014). In recent years about 1.5- 2 million people have died from HIV related issues. In third world countries like Africa with little resources and good hygiene HIV has infected up to 70% of the population, women who are HIV positive and have children pose a great threat to their own children who may also develop HIV. Children born with HIV are at a high risk of becoming infected with AIDS due to lack of resources in low income