AIDS: A Brief Background

Nazia Malik
March 30, 2016

AIDS is a devastating disease with many potential causes that kills an enormous number
of people every year all around the world. A lot of progress has been made in the recent years in
the elimination of the disease. The disease is caused by a virus called HIV (Human Immune
deficiency Virus) this virus was first detected in a monkey, later it was found in humans. It
attacks the immune system by destroying white cells. To be specific CD+ T cells leaving a
person immune system deficient. He can be potentially killed by any germs that invade his
system. The virus is spread through sexual contact, more frequently in the homosexual
community, as well as intravenous drug users who share needles and also by accident through
needle stick injuries. The incubation period of the disease is ten years.
The initial symptoms are flu like symptoms, fatigue, weight loss, and constant fever, loss
of appetite, body aches, as well as feelings of malaise.
People are diagnosed with AIDS when they have certain signs or symptoms defined by
the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC's definition of AIDS
includes T Cell counts Less than 200 CD4+ T cells per cubic millimeter of blood, compared with
about 1,000 CD4+ T cells for healthy people. CD4+T cells are white blood cells that play an
important role in the body's immune system. These cells are destroyed by HIV. Even when a
HIV-positive person feels well and is not experiencing any symptoms of the disease, CD4+ T
cells are being infected by HIV. CD4+ T cells accounting for less than 14 percent of all
lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell.
Blood tests are the most common way to diagnose the human immunodeficiency virus
(HIV), the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). These tests look for
antibodies to the virus that are present in the blood of infected individuals. People exposed to the
virus should get tested immediately.
Early testing is crucial with HIV, it can take from six weeks to six months to develop
antibodies to the virus, and follow-up tests may be needed. Your doctor will ask about your
symptoms, medical history and risk factors and perform a physical examination.
The primary tests for diagnosing HIV and AIDs include:
ELISA Test - ELISA, which stands for enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, is used to
detect HIV infection. If an ELISA test is positive, the Western blot test is usually administered to
confirm the diagnosis. If an ELISA test is negative, but you think you may have HIV, you should
be tested again in one to three months.
Home Tests -The only home test approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is
called the Home Access Express Test, which is sold in pharmacies.

Saliva Tests - A cotton pad is used to obtain saliva from the inside of your cheek. The pad
is placed in a vial and submitted to a laboratory for testing. Results are available in three days.
Positive results should be confirmed with a blood test.
Viral Load Test - this test measures the amount of HIV in your blood. Generally, it's used
to monitor treatment progress or detect early HIV infection. The basic principles of these tests
are similar. HIV is detected using DNA sequences that bind specifically to those in the virus. It is
important to note that results may vary between tests.
Western Blot This is a very sensitive blood test used to confirm a positive ELISA test
result.
At present there is no cure for AIDS and it is fatal without treatment. HIV infection,
however, takes a very long time to develop into full blown AIDS. The virus begins to replicate in
the body within the CD4 cells and begins to destroy the immunity.
The time taken for development of AIDS from HIV infection may range from 6 months
(very rare) to 15 years. In the UK the average time to development of AIDS from initial HIV
infection is around 12 years.
There's no vaccine to prevent HIV infection and no cure for AIDS. But it's possible to
protect yourself and others from infection. That means educating yourself about HIV and
avoiding any behavior that allows HIV-infected fluids blood, semen, vaginal secretions and
breast milk into your body.
As time goes along more and more research goes into any disease, the experience builds
and good news comes along. As recent as July of last year according to Jessica Hamzelou at
New Scientist Magazine reported that there was a girl who had the virus from birth and went into
regression to the point where the AIDS Virus count is undetectable, living drug free for 12 years
and currently still living drug free.
On the other hand according to Dina Maron there is a 46 month old girl who had the
Virus and was able to not be on medication for more than two years, but unfortunately her CD4+
T Cell count had dropped indicating a return of the virus. However she had been off of the
medications for 27 months after going through an intense three drug cocktail of antiretroviral for
18 months starting 30 hours after she was born.
So unfortunately as with any new disease time and experience will teach us into a cure
for it, or a way to help alleviate the suffering. The nature of AIDS and that it attacks the bodys
immune system leaving a person defenseless shows the severity of AIDS and how it can be
something like the simple cold that can turn deadly for an AIDS patient. This disease has grown
so rapidly from when it was first detected that its public awareness of it is similar to that of

cancer. Public awareness is the way to decrease it spreading, but really the key to a solution
would be Research and funding for said research.

Works Cited
1) Hamzelou, Jessica. Cured woman is HIV free for 12 years without taking
drugs. New Scientist. July 20th 2015. Print
2) Maron, Dina F. HIV Detected in Cured Mississippi Baby, Creating Huge
AIDS Therapy Setback. Scientific American. July 10th 2014. Print