Discuss the reasons why the HIV is such a successful pathogen

HIV as a Successful Pathogen

I . Introduction

In 1981 , a cluster of cases of Pneumocytis pneumonia appeared in the Los Angeles area . This extremely rare disease was usually seen only in persons who were immunosuppressed . Investigators soon correlated the appearance of this disease with an unusual incidence of a rare form of cancer of the skin and blood vessels called Kaposi 's sarcoma . The people affected were all young homosexual men , and all showed loss of immune function . By 1983 , the pathogen causing the loss of immune function had been identified

as a retrovirus that selectively infects certain T cells . This virus is now known as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV HYPERLINK "http /www .questia .com /SM .qst ?act adv contributors Richard 20C 20Stroh man dcontributors Richard 20C 20Strohman " Strohman , 2003

There have been several theories about the origin of HIV . It is now believed that it arose by mutation of a virus that had been endemic in some areas of central Africa for many years . The virus has been found in blood samples preserved from as early as 1959 in several African nations and in England

Thesis Statement : This investigates why HIV is such a successful pathogen and knows some vaccine and treatments of HIV

II . Methodology

In to accomplish this study , the researcher used two different methods to make the investigation more informative , accurate , and successful . Aside from gathering information through internet , the researcher gathered information through statistics and observation

III . Literature Review

A . Opportunistic Organisms

Although it is convenient to categorize symbiotic relationship by type we must keep in mind that under certain conditions the relationship can change . For example , given proper circumstances , a mutualistic organism such as E . coli , can become harmful . E . coli is generally harmless as long as it remains in the large intestine . But if it gains access to other body sites , such as the urinary bladder , lungs , spinal cord , or wounds , it may cause urinary tract infections , pulmonary infections meningitis , or abscesses , respectively ( AIDS ' Science 239 :573-623 February 5 , 2001

Opportunists are potentially pathogenic organisms that ordinarily do not cause disease in their normal habitat in a healthy person . For example , organisms that gain access through broken skin or mucous membranes can cause opportunistic infections . Tooth decay and gum disease are caused by bacteria that are considered members of the normal flora of the mouth . Or , if the host is already weakened or compromised by infection , microbes that are usually harmless can cause disease . The disease AIDS is often accompanied by a common opportunistic infection Pneumocystis pneumonia , caused by the opportunistic organism Pneumocystis carinii . This secondary infection can develop in AIDS sufferers because their immune systems are suppressed ( AIDS ' Science 239 :573-623 , February 5 , 2001 . Prior to the AIDS epidemic , this type of pneumonia was rare

In addition to the usual symbionts , many people carry other microorganisms that are generally regarded as pathogenic but that may not cause disease in those people . Among the pathogens that are frequently carried in normal...