AIDS: A growing epidemic
What is the first thing you think about when you hear the word AIDS? Most people think of a deadly virus that is transmitted by sex, needles, or blood transfusions. Then there are those who believe that one can get AIDS by hugging someone. Many of these people don't realize the severity of this modern plague. 665,357 people have AIDS in the United States alone by 1998, and 401,028 people have died from AIDS. Every hour, two teenagers contract the AIDS virus (Franks, 1999). In 1998, scientists believed that AIDS was the leading cause of death in men between 25 and 44 years of age and the fourth highest in women between 25 and 44 (What is AIDS, 1997). AIDS is defined as acquired immune deficiency syndrome. "Acquired meaning you catch it, immune deficiency means a weakness in the body's system that fights diseases, and syndrome means a group of health problems that make up a disease" (What is AIDS, 1997). A virus that attacks the immune system causes the AIDS virus. The body system that should eliminate the infection becomes damaged and is no longer able to perform its normal duties (Eisenberg, 1994). AIDS, originally thought to have come from monkeys, is now a growing disease
Although researchers still do not know where AIDS came from, they are making vast improvements on the mystery of the modern plague. Until there is a cure for AIDS, people need to be aware of some things. The spread of AIDS can be cut down by the use of condoms during sex with at risk people and avoiding use of same drug needle as someone else (Eisenberg, 1994). Since AIDS was first discovered, researchers have come a long way in trying to find a cure. There is still hope that one-day; AIDS will end. The HIV virus can only reproduce in a living cell. Without a living cell, the virus will die. The AIDS virus can't spread through the air and it can't In 1987, the FDA approved the first anti-HIV drug. It was called AZT (ziduvudine Retrovir). This drug is a 100-milligram capsule to be taken every four hours around the clock (So little time... 1998). AZT has side effects, such as anemia (Eisenberg, 1994). By this time, 41,027 people had died from the AIDS virus. Since then, many drugs such as ddI (didansine, Videx) in 1991, ddC (zalcitabine, Hivid) in 1992, d4T (Zerit) in 1994, Saquinavir (Invirase) in 1995, and Nevirapine in 1996, had been tested, but none of them had shown to be helping the AIDS virus (So little time... 1998). Another contributor to the spread of AIDS was hemophiliacs. Hemophiliacs needed factor VIII to gain blood-clotting factors, which they did not have. The only way to produce factor VIII was to gather thousands of people's blood and combine it. This blood was then distributed worldwide during the late 1960's and some of the blood contained the AIDS virus (Kanabus & Allen, 2000). in the United States and worldwide.
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Approximate Word count = 2868
Approximate Pages = 11 (250 words per page double spaced)
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