HIV/AIDS in Africa
HIV-AIDS in Africa
Shelby May
H102 – The World in the Twentieth Century II
Professor Machado
April 3, 2014
Word Count: 1800 Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the virus that causes AIDS, has become one of the world’s most serious health and development challenges; “more than 25 million people have died of AIDS worldwide since the first cases were reported in 1981”.1 HIV is much like other viruses today such as the flu or the common cold. The difference between common viruses and HIV is that unlike the common cold where your immune system can rid the viruses from your body, HIV’s viruses cannot be cleared. Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is the final stage of HIV. This occurs when you have a significantly low number of CD4 cells which are a type of white blood cells that fight off infection. To this day, many scientists are still puzzled by the origin of AIDS and HIV since it first appeared. Scientists have found, however, that the first cases of AIDS occurred in the United States when “a number of gay men in New York and California suddenly began to develop rare opportunistic infections and cancers that seemed stubbornly resistant to any treatment”.2 It was not soon after that the detection of HIV was made. Many were against linking the two at first. Yet, after more research, clear evidence was found that proved the connection between these two diseases. Not soon after the outbreaks in New York and California, scientists went on the hunt to find the first human infected by this ailment, better known as “patient zero”. After many tests they found that “patient zero” was not a man from the United States at all. Rather, it was a species from the jungle in Cameroon, Africa. Although there have been many outbreaks throughout the United States, the majority of the problem lies in Africa. Since the 1980s, the Western World has made many improvements such as creating antiretroviral drugs that
Shelby May
H102 – The World in the Twentieth Century II
Professor Machado
April 3, 2014
Word Count: 1800 Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the virus that causes AIDS, has become one of the world’s most serious health and development challenges; “more than 25 million people have died of AIDS worldwide since the first cases were reported in 1981”.1 HIV is much like other viruses today such as the flu or the common cold. The difference between common viruses and HIV is that unlike the common cold where your immune system can rid the viruses from your body, HIV’s viruses cannot be cleared. Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is the final stage of HIV. This occurs when you have a significantly low number of CD4 cells which are a type of white blood cells that fight off infection. To this day, many scientists are still puzzled by the origin of AIDS and HIV since it first appeared. Scientists have found, however, that the first cases of AIDS occurred in the United States when “a number of gay men in New York and California suddenly began to develop rare opportunistic infections and cancers that seemed stubbornly resistant to any treatment”.2 It was not soon after that the detection of HIV was made. Many were against linking the two at first. Yet, after more research, clear evidence was found that proved the connection between these two diseases. Not soon after the outbreaks in New York and California, scientists went on the hunt to find the first human infected by this ailment, better known as “patient zero”. After many tests they found that “patient zero” was not a man from the United States at all. Rather, it was a species from the jungle in Cameroon, Africa. Although there have been many outbreaks throughout the United States, the majority of the problem lies in Africa. Since the 1980s, the Western World has made many improvements such as creating antiretroviral drugs that
Cited: Alcabes, Philip. "Heart of Darkness: AIDS, Africa, and Race." Virginia Quarterly Review 82, no. 1 (2006): 4-9. (accessed April 1, 2014). "Commentary: Most South Africans Cannot Afford Anti-HIV Drugs." British Medical Journal 324, no. 7331 (2002). (accessed April 3, 2014). "Global Statistics." Global Statistics. http://aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/hiv-aids-101/global-statistics/index.html (accessed March 31, 2014). "Origin of HIV & AIDS." HIV and AIDS information and resources. http://www.avert.org/origin-hiv-aids.htm (accessed March 31, 2014). Reagan, Ronald. "President Reagan 's AMfar Speech." Speech, AMfar dinner from American Foundation for AIDS, Washington , May 31, 1987. Smith, P F, J Mikl, S Hyde, and D L Morse. "The AIDS epidemic in New York State.."American Journal of Public Health 81, no. Suppl (1991): 54-60. Whiteside, Alan. "Poverty and HIV/AIDS in Africa." Third World Quarterly 23, no. 2 (2002): 313-332.