HIV and AIDS

8
th
grade health project
General Description
HIV is known as the Human Immunodeficiency Virus.
HIV causes AIDS.
AIDS = Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
HIV is the most dangerous disease known to humans.
HIV attacks CD4 helper Lymphocytes and T Cells in the Immune
System.
HIV CAN be cured (despite popular belief). Some fortunate people
have already been, but research is still going on about this
treatment and is no excuse for not protecting yourself from this
disease.
HIV gets into T cells because projections on the cells surface called
CCR5 pushes on one of the spikes on the HIV virus. The pushing of
the HIVs spike triggers it to release infectious genes into the cell.
Bacterial, Viral, Fungal, or Something
Else Is It?
HIV is a viral infection that attacks the immune
system.
Symptoms
Symptoms include the following:
Weakness, fatigue, weight loss, lots of fevers that
last several weeks w/out explanation, heavy
sweating at night, swollen lymph nodes, minor
infections that cause skin rashes, mouth,
genitalia, and anal sores, white spots in throat
and mouth, chronic diarrhea, cough, memory
loss; vaginal yeast infection. No symptoms
appear for 10 years after getting infected.
In short, nobody in their right mindset would
want these symptoms.
Treatment(s)/Cure(s)
HIV can be contained. You must keep the circulation of
the virus low. The persons T-Cell count must be kept
at a high level because HIV attacks them.
There is a cure that has been researched recently. It is
the hormone -32 (delta-32). It closes the receptors
on cells that allow the HIV virus to enter, thereby
denying access to the virus into the cells. As many as 3
people have been cured of HIV before July 28
th
of
2012. Bone marrow is taken from a person with the
Delta-32 mutation and transplanted into the person
with HIV.
Statistics for Infection
2010 sees 1.2 million people in the US living with
HIV, yet 1/5 of these people are unaware they have
it.
2010 also sees 33015 people diagnosed in the US
with AIDS.
This disease is more common in men than in women.
77% of men who get HIV get it
from male-to-male sexual con-
tact
HIV-1 budding from a lymphocyte
Transmission
HIV is commonly passed through blood,
semen, vaginal fluids, and breast milk.
Ways HIV can get into the blood like this is
through sharing needles or sexual intercourse
of any kind.
Prevention
It can be prevented by not having oral, anal, or
vaginal sexual intercourse (sexual abstinence).
It can also be prevented by wearing a latex
condom while having coitus, and making sure
that your partner is not positive with
HIV/AIDS.
However, condoms are not a sure way to
prevent getting AIDS. This is because
condoms can break or slip off.
Punishments/Consequences for Not
Treating It
If left untreated, HIV can lead to AIDS, which
can lead to death.
Also, if you get Tuberculosis or Pneumonia,
then you will die because your body wont be
able to defend against it.