HIV/AIDS: The Biggest Problem In The World Today - Detroit

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV and AIDS attack the immune system and often destroy its effectiveness. It leaves a person extremely vulnerable to infections and tumors that would otherwise have been handled by the natural functions of the immune system. It can sometimes be a bit misleading because people with HIV can die as a direct result of a different infection, but this infection would only have been possible because the virus disabled the immune system.

HIV is not only a problem for adults. Children and teens suffer from HIV as well. HIV attaches to these CD4 cells, infects them, and uses them as a place to multiply. In doing so, the virus destroys the ability of the infected cells to do their job in the immune system.

Yeast Infection

One of the most common symptoms of HIV infection is yeast infection. This yeast infection can be in many forms and can take place in many parts of the body. In normal cases, where your immune system is strong, proper medication may easily solve such problems.

In case of HIV infection, the immune system becomes weak and fails to respond to the medical course of action, making conditions worse. So, a patient would take much longer to heal and quite often, it may result in a life long problem.

The Spread of HIV/AIDS

The transmission of HIV is one of the biggest problems in the world today. It is spread when a mucous membrane (or the bloodstream directly) comes in contact with the blood or bodily fluid of an infected person. Most often, this takes the form of sexual transmission. HIV can also be passed through needles, blood transfusion, from mother to baby during pregnancy, and even breastfeeding.

HIV damages the immune system, the part of the body that fights infection. Eventually, the immune system becomes so weak that diseases and infections begin to attack the body. HIV is one of the most complicated viruses.

HIV prevention does not have to be complicated in order to have a real impact on the spread of HIV/AIDS. But it does have to address the various needs of all populations at risk -from injection drug users to adult married women.

There is no cure for HIV and AIDS. There are, however, drugs that significantly reduce the mortality of the disease and can greatly prolong and increase quality of life for an infected person. These drugs, though, are very expensive and are not readily available in all parts of the world. Because there is no cure and because the medicines to treat the disease are so expensive, the easiest way to reduce the potency of the disease is to try to stop it from spreading. Many groups, in an attempt to curb AIDS, are promoting safe sex and clean needle exchange programs. These are effective and necessary means of reducing transmission, but they are not completely stopping the virus from spreading.