HIV The Deadly Virus

According to worldhealth.org 43 million people in the world are infected by HIV. Some people are wondering what this virus is and where it originated from? HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV virus can only infect humans and it is a heterosexual disease.  HIV is a virus that weakens the human immune system which damages the significant cells that fight diseases and infection in our body. Deficient defined by Merriam dictionary as “lacking in some necessary quality or element”. Well, a deficient immune system cannot protect someone from this virus. Unlike other viruses, the immune system clears it out of the body, but for the HIV virus, the body immune system cannot destroy or get rid it instead it retains it. When HIV virus is destroys a lot of CD$ cells, the body cannot fight infections or diseases any more than HIV leads to AIDS According to AIDS.gov “scientist identified a type of chimpanzee in West Africa as the source of HIV infection in human. The virus mostly likely jumped to human when human hunted these chimpanzees for meat and came in contact with their infected blood. Over several decades, the virus slowly spread across Africa and later into other parts of the world.

Stereotypes come into play because people assume that only African can be affected or more chances of being infected by the HIV virus. It is very understandable to why some people may assume Africans are more likely to encounter this disease, it is because Africa was the place HIV virus originated from. In Africa this virus is spread through heterosexual and sharp unsterilized objects. Also the interactions with animals and human in confined places. This disease is an ongoing thing in Africa. Example if a pregnant women  is infected with the HIV virus there is more chances of her giving this virus to her new born baby. According to M. Kate, M.S Ed., in the United States if a HIV woman gives birth, she will be given infant formula to feed her child. In parts of Africa , women with HIV are advised to breastfeed, because the greater killer is dehydration. The virus can be medicated, but there is no medical return from death by starvation. What is a mother supposed to do in this case? It is either the child is infected or lose the child to starvation. If you were a mother in this position one have to make the right decision for the child to survive.

What can we do as a society to help educate others about this deadly disease? Talk to the younger children about sex. The media talks about sex and portrays sex, but it is harder to talk about it. Sex is like pizza. If a child order a certain kind of pizza the parent sometimes asks, why that kind, why eat now or why not a veggie pizza? It is the same way for sex conversations. The question should be asked why are you having sex, do you trust your partner, are you using protection and are you having sex with more than more person? Little contribution like these helps a lot. We need more educators to help make a difference.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HIV