Cure for Aids

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Cure for Aids

I . Introduction

Since acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS ) was first recognized more than 20 years ago , remarkable progress has been made in improving the quality and duration of life of persons with HIV infection . During the first decade , this progress was associated with recognition of opportunistic disease processes , more effective therapy for complications , and introduction of prophylaxis against common opportunistic infections (OIs . The second decade has witnessed progress in developing highly active antiretroviral therapies (HAART ) as well as continuing progress

in treating OIs (Porth , 2002 . Since the HIV serologic test (enzyme immunoassay [EIA] , formerly enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ALISHA] , became available in 1984 , allowing early diagnosis of the infection before onset of symptoms , HIV infection has been best managed as a chronic disease and most appropriately managed in an outpatient care setting (Gallant , 2001

This intent to (1 ) knows how AIDS or HIV transmitted (2 discuss the vaccines and treatments for aids and (3 ) be aware of its future

II . Background

A . HIV Transmission

HIV-1 is transmitted in body fluids containing HIV and /or infected CD4 (or CD4 ) T lymphocytes . These fluids include blood , seminal fluid vaginal secretions , amniotic fluid , and breast milk . Mother-child transmission of HIV-1 may occur in utero , at the time of the delivery or through breastfeeding , but transmission frequency during each period has been difficult to determine (Nduati et al , 2000 . Any behavior that results in breaks in the skin or mucosa results in the increased probability of exposure to HIV (chart 1 . Since HIV is harbored within lymphocytes , a type of white blood cell , any exposure to infected blood results in a significant risk of infection . The amount of virus and infected cells in the body fluid is associated with the risk of new infections

Chart 1

Risk Factors for HIV Infection and AIDS In the United States , most people with HIV ?AIDS have engaged in high-risk behaviors , such as the following

Intravenous or injection drug use (the term intravenous drug user has been replaced by the term injecting (or injection ) drug user This term includes people who inject drugs intravenously as well as those who inject drugs intradermally . This method is sometimes referred to as skin popping

Sexual relations with infected individuals (both male and female

Also at risk are people who received blood or blood products contaminated with HIV (especially before blood screening was instituted in 1985 ) and children born to mothers with HIV infection III . Discussion

A . Vaccines

There are great obstacles to production of an AIDS vaccine , among them the lack of a suitable host for the virus . However , researchers are now optimistic that a vaccine , once produced , could be effective . One reason for optimism is that a very few persons who were once HIV-positive have spontaneously become HIV-negative , indicating that the immune system is probably capable in rare instances of eliminating the virus . Because of the extreme virulence of the virus , many think it unlikely that any whole-virus vaccine , either killed or attenuated , would...