AIDS What is AIDS mean by? How much you know about AIDS?

Nowadays, AIDS infection cases become more and more in our life, but awareness about AIDS is still lack in society. There is some brief description of AIDS about how infection and replication occurs, stages of HIV infection, ways of HIV transmitted, symptoms of AIDS and also preventions and treatments. AIDS means Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome which is caused by Human Immunodeficiency Virus, HIV. HIV is a type of retrovirus that cripples the human immune system and the ability of the human body to defend against infectious disease. HIV-1 was isolated by researchers in France in1983 and in United States in1984. In another year later, 1985, HIV-2 was identifies by France which occurs mainly in west Africa whereas HIV-1 occurs throughout the world. During contamination, HIV attaches itself to the T4 membrane lymphocytes which normally fight pathogenic microorganism. The outer membrane of the virus breaks down and releases RNA. The enzymes reverse transcriptase and catalyses the transcription of the viral RNA to DNA. The viral DNA becomes a permanent gene carrying HIV after the viral formed combine with T4 cell DNA. The incubation time varies greatly from person to person. It could become activated when the body responds to infection through T4 lymphocyte activity. RNA and viral protein replicate to form core units and leave host cell to outer membrane. New generation of HIV is released into the blood which then attacks

other T4 cells and damages the immune system. HIV also infects brain cells and attacks bone marrow and further cause the precursor cells in blood tissue to become an HIV pool. Mostly, people with HIV infected go through three stages. Acute retrovirus syndrome and asymptomatic period is the first stage where people get a flulike illness within 12 weeks. The persons blood tests positive for HIV antibodies even though symptoms do not develop for 2 years or more. The next stage is symptomatic HIV infection. Severe symptom such as tiredness, enlarged lymph glands, yeast infection, skin rashes and dental disease may appear in this stage. The final stage is AIDS which is characterised by damage to the immune system and infections of Kaposis sarcoma. The break downs of the system might take years. HIV enters a persons body when another infected persons body fluid gains entry through a breach in body defence. People engage in high-risk behaviours increases their risk. The most general way of being infected is through sexual intercourse. In United States, HIV transmission mainly occurs among homosexual and bisexual men although it becomes more familiar among heterosexual men and women. Sharing HIV contaminated syringe or needles by illegal drugs can transmit HIV to someone else. Mother-to-child transmission take place when HIV-positive woman transmits the virus to her foetus during pregnancy. Sometimes it occurs during labor and delivery or through breastbreeding.

In initial stage of contaminated, carriers rarely show symptoms. After some time, prolonged warning sign shown are tiredness, fatigue, fever, persistent cough, loss of appetite and weight, night sweats, swollen lymph nodes, recurring bouts of diarrhoea, candidiasis infection in mouth and pharynx. The virus often causes dementia which is considered as memory disorder. We should have healthy lifestyle to avoid AIDS. We should reduce the vulnerability of HIV spreading among society. Prevent having casual sex with prostitutes or drug addicts. Avoid sharing needles and syringes with others. The sharing of shaving razors or toothbrushes should be evaded. Luckily HIV cannot be contracted through non-sexual touch and saliva. Lectures about HIV would be conducted in programmes in National Service. There is also testing for HIV antibodies which is known as ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) may detect their presence. Datuk Seri Najib admitted that the pioneer methadone therapy for drug addicts had proven to be a success with 90% addicts free from addiction. Hence, be caution with your living style as wealth cannot buy health.