The purpose of this paper will be too show how AIDS is a serious disease
in the world today. AIDS, (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is a
complicated illness, caused by a virus that is passed from person to person.
"The disease was first recognized in 1980 among homosexual men and
injection drug users in New York and California." Several years after it was
recognized, AIDS has become a worldwide epidemic. "By 1995, 477,900
Americans had developed the disease, of whom 295,500 had died, and worldwide
more than 14 million people were believed to be infected."
American researchers initially named the virus that causes AIDS the human
T-lymphotropic virus, type III-or HTLV-III ("A.I.D.S."). After researchers
discovered in the late 1980's that there were several forms of the AIDS virus, the
original virus was renamed the human immunodeficiency virus type 1, or HIV-1
The virus enters the bloodstream and destroys certain white blood cells.
The virus can infect other types of cells in the body, including the immune-system
AIDS is transmitted intimate contact between people or through blood
transfer. The virus is spread through sexual intercourse, the sharing of needles and
syringes, or transfusion of blood products. Transfusion of blood from an HIV-
person is certain to cause in infection of the recipient. "Needle sharing involves
transfusion of smaller amounts of blood but is still a means of spreading the virus;
in areas where HIV is prevalent, such as in metropolitan areas of the eastern
United States, active intravenous drug use in associated with HIV infections rates
of around 50 percent." "Sexual transmission, by semen or vaginal fluids either
through vaginal or anal intercourse, to male or female partners, is probably less
efficient than direct blood transfusion." O
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