Types of Diseases - Viral Diseases: HIV (GCSE Biology)
Viral Diseases: HIV
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
- HIV affects the immune system. The HIV virus can launch an attack on the body’s immune system, therefore weakening the body’s immune response to pathogens. Lymphocyte numbers decrease and the body
is unable to produce antibodies. Normally the body is able to respond quickly to foreign pathogens by producing antibodies and phagocytes, but in HIV sufferers this response is much slower. - HIV is transferred in bodily fluids. HIV spreads via body fluids (semen and blood), sharing needles and through cuts. HIV cannot spread via touching someone, but can spread through things like unprotected sex
and thus, is an example of a sexually transmitted infection. The main focus of HIV healthcare is prevention – i.e. educating people on the dangers of sharing needles or having unprotected sex. - HIV can progress to AIDS. Early symptoms of HIV involve standard flu-like symptoms. Over time, the disease can progress to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), whereby the body’s immunity
becomes very weak and cannot cope with foreign pathogens. Patients with AIDS are susceptible to many diseases. - HIV has no cure. There is currently no vaccine or cure for HIV, however it is controlled by antiretroviral drugs. These drugs aim to control the virus. Additionally, extra precautions should be taken so that the HIV /
AIDS sufferer avoids infection from other diseases, because any disease is much worse in an HIV / AIDS patient than a normal patient.
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