Name ________________________________________ Date



Name ________________________________________ Date ___________________________

THE MODERN-DAY PLAGUE: AIDS

Directions: Read the text. Use the text to help you to answer the questions.

In the 1980s a new and deadly disease appeared, and the world suddenly became aware of the importance of the immune system. This disease is commonly referred to as AIDS. Since it is always fatal, it is sometimes called the “modern-day plague”.

The term AIDS is an acronym (a word made of the first letters of several other words) for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. These words mean that AIDS is a collection of symptoms (syndrome) that result from a breakdown (deficiency) of the immune system; it is not something that you were born with, but something that you can acquire.

It is important for you to know that AIDS cannot be transmitted in most of the usual ways. It can be transmitted only by sexual contact, by sharing an unsterilized hypodermic needle with someone who has the disease, or by having infected blood somehow introduced into you bloodstream. It is a very serious disease, but you will not catch it by any kind of casual contact. It is, however, also important for you to know that a person who has been infected with the virus that causes AIDS may not have any symptoms for up to 10 years. Unless he or she happens to be tested for AIDS during that time, the person will be unaware of the infection and may spread the disease to others. To protect yourself, you need to understand what the disease is and exactly how it may be spread.

The virus that causes this disease is called the “Human Immunodeficiency Virus,” or HIV; it does its deadly work by weakening the immune system.

By destroying certain white blood cells, the HIV allows certain pathogenic microorganisms (which are usually kept at bay by white blood cells and antibodies) to take hold in the body. Pneumocystis carinii, for example, is a rare form of pneumonia that commonly infects persons whose immune systems has been weakened by HIV. Karposi’s sarcoma, a cancer of the small blood vessels, is another example; once only rarely seen in elderly persons or in patients whose immune systems had been suppressed by certain drugs, it now appears frequently among victims of the HIV.

Questions:

1. In the 1980s the world suddenly became aware of the importance of the

2. What do the letters HIV stand for?

3. What happens when the HIV weakens the immune system?

4. What is the name of the rare form of pneumonia that infects persons whose immune system has been

weakened by the HIV?

5. What is another disease that frequently appears among victims of the HIV?

6. Name the “modern-day plague” that is caused by the HIV.

7. What is important for you to know about AIDS?

HOW AIDS IS SPREAD

Instructions: Read the text. Use the text to help you answer the questions and complete the chart.

|Activity |Can spread AIDS |Cannot spread AIDS |

|1. Shaking hands | | |

|2. Hugging | | |

|3. Sneezing | | |

|4. Eating in a restaurant | | |

|5. Casual sex | | |

|6. Using public restrooms | | |

|7. Swimming | | |

|8. Sharing hypodermic needles | | |

Many viruses are easily spread from person to person. The flu virus, for example, can be spread simply by a sneeze. If an infected person doesn’t cover his or her mouth when he or she sneezes, small droplets can carry the virus through the air and can infect a healthy person. The virus that causes hepatitis--a virus that attacks liver cells--can be spread from a shared glass or an eating utensil.

The HIV, fortunately, isn’t spread so easily, because it is unstable in air. It cannot be spread by shaking hands, hugging or by any other forms of casual contact. You cannot catch AIDS in swimming pools, by eating in restaurants or by using public restrooms. The two most common ways in which the HIV is transmitted are by having sex with an infected person and by sharing a hypodermic needle with another drug abuser.

Questions:

1. Is it easy for the flu virus to spread from person to person?

2. Describe how the flu virus is spread.

3. What kind of cells does the hepatitis virus attack?

4. Is the hepatitis virus easily spread?

5. What is one way in which the hepatitis virus can be spread?

6. Can you catch AIDS by hugging someone or by shaking hands?

7. What are the two most common ways in which the HIV is transmitted?

8. Why is it not possible for the HIV to be transmitted through the air or by the sharing of eating utensils with an infected person?

9. The American Red Cross recommended that persons living with AIDS patients should not share razor blades and toothbrushes. It is safe, however, to share bar soaps and hand towels. Explain the difference.

HOW THE HIV ATTACKS A T4 LYMPHOCYTE

The human immune system does a good job of protecting the body against diseases. Unfortunately, it is not always successful, because pathogenic organisms have ways of tricking the immune system. Some viruses, for example, constantly change their outside structures so that antibodies cannot recognize them as enemies. This is why you can catch the flu again even after you have built up an immunity against it.

The HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, also uses this trick and goes one step further. To protect itself from being destroyed, it attacks and weakens the body’s most important defenders - the T4 lymphocytes.

When the T4 lymphocytes are attacked, the immune systems loses its power to defend the body. When the T4 lymphocytes are unable to release interleukin-2 (a chemical messenger), the cytotoxic killer cells and the B-lymphocytes remain inactive. This is why a person with AIDS can catch many diseases that a person with a healthy immune system will not catch.

The following steps describe how the HIV attacks a T4 lymphocyte.

Step one: The HIV enters the blood and floats in the circulatory system until it finds a T4 lymphocyte.

Step two: The landing gear of the HIV matches the recognition sites or landing pads on the T4’s membrane. This allows the virus to land and release its genetic material.

Step three: The genetic material travels through the cells to the nucleus.

Step four: The HIV’s genetic material combines with the DNA of a T4 lymphocyte.

Step five: The T4 lymphocyte can no longer do its job of protecting the body, and the virus’s genetic material has reprogrammed the T4 lymphocyte cell to make new viruses.

Step six: The new viruses leave the cell ready to attack other T4 lymphocytes.

Directions: To complete this project number the pictures in the correct order.

Questions:

1. The immune system does a good job of ________________ the body against ________________ .

2. Is the immune system always effective? ______________________________________________

3. How do some viruses trick the immune system?

4. What part of the immune system does the HIV attack?

5. When the T4 lymphocytes do not release interleukin-2, the ________________ cells and the

______________________________ are never called into action.

Immune Disorders Human Impact

“What are the societal implications of having an immune disorder versus other disorders?

Write any two words or phrases that come to mind when think of

or hear the following :

Immune Disorder

Diseases Transmission

The Issue

The World AIDS Campaign 2003 continues to focus on stigma and discrimination under the slogan Live and let live….

HIV and AIDS can touch raw nerves in all our communities. The stigma of HIV and AIDS relates to deep taboos within society. For many the disease has a strong association with prolonged illness, death, sex and drug use -- issues that many of us find difficult to talk about openly. Along with general discomfort about discussing these 'taboo' issues, many communities are also dealing with high levels of ignorance, denial, fear and intolerance about the disease itself. This potent combination can lead to rejection and even aggression against people living with HIV. As a result, people with HIV have been disowned by their families, fired from their jobs, asked to leave their homes. They can face discrimination in receiving medical care. In extreme cases they have even been physically attacked.

Stigma and discrimination can lead to depression, lack of self-worth and despair for people living with HIV. But people living with the disease are not the only ones endangered by this fear and prejudice.

Negative attitudes about HIV can create a climate in which people become more afraid of the stigma and discrimination associated with the disease than of the disease itself. When fear and discrimination prevail, people may choose to ignore the possibility that they may be HIV-positive - even if they know they have taken risks. And people may decide not to take measures to protect themselves in fear that in doing so they could be associating themselves with HIV. All of this helps to create an environment in which the disease can more easily spread.

This year's World AIDS Campaign encourages both individuals and institutions to reflect on how they respond to those living with HIV and AIDS. With challenging posters and television images the campaign clearly shows how the most painful symptoms of HIV and AIDS are often the reactions of others. When someone feels safe within their own community, they are more likely to take responsibility for their HIV status. This is why it is so important for all of us to examine our own attitudes. We need to ask ourselves: are we helping to create an environment where people can take responsibility for themselves and others? Or do our attitudes contribute to an environment of shame, fear and denial that prevents people from taking action? Only by confronting stigma and discrimination across the world will the fight against HIV/AIDS be won.

Write any two words or phrases that come to mind when think of or hear the following:

Sex/Drug Use

AIDS

Comment on how AIDS an immune disorder and sex/drug use as a means of disease transmission contributes to the negative stigma associated with AIDS. Are there any other immune disorders with a similar stigma why or why not?

The Issue

Scope of the HIV/AIDS Pandemic

HIV infection and AIDS are among the most pressing concerns facing health providers worldwide. Although the impact of HIV/AIDS is serious in both developed and developing countries, it is most profound in the developing world, where resources to prevent, diagnose, and manage HIV infection are scarce.

The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) estimates that more than 40 million men, women, and children worldwide are now living with HIV/AIDS, of which 28 million are in Sub-Saharan Africa. In this region, 1 in 10 adults ages 15 to 49 is living with the virus, and in seven countries more than 20% of the population is infected. Women, especially young women, are becoming infected at alarmingly increasing rates. A great many infected people do not know they carry HIV and so may be spreading the virus to others unknowingly.

This global epidemic is now far more extensive than was predicted even a decade ago, and the challenges that HIV poses vary enormously from region to region. Since the beginning of the epidemic, AIDS has killed more than 21 million people, and it has replaced malaria and tuberculosis as the world’s leading cause of death by infectious disease among adults. AIDS is now the fourth leading cause of death among adults worldwide, and more than 13 million children have been orphaned by the epidemic.

A host of economic, political, social, and cultural factors play a critical role in determining how quickly the epidemic spreads within a particular region and whether communities and countries are able to rally the resources needed to combat HIV/AIDS.

➢ What is the issue?

➢ AIDS has replaced what other infectious diseases as one of world’s leading cause of death?

The Issue

Better reporting methods produce the most accurate picture yet of the global pandemic

December 1, 2003 - The number of people living with HIV continues to increase at alarming rates according to two separate reports released last week. The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) released its annual figures on November 25 showing that, globally, AIDS has had its most destructive year yet. In 2003, the virus infected five million people and took the lives of three million, both significant increases over last year. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a report on November 28 showing that HIV infections have increased by five percent over the past three years, bringing the number of people living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S. close to one million. Both reports explained that the data this year is more accurate than ever due to better data collection methods and analysis.

Developing Countries Lead a Worsening Pandemic

Worldwide, UNAIDS estimates that there are now 40 million people living with HIV/AIDS, although an upper-boundary estimate puts the figure as high as 46 million. Sub-Saharan Africa continues to be a region devastated by AIDS. Home to more than half of the world’s infected population, it includes countries such as Botswana and Swaziland, where 40 percent of the population is infected. The epidemic is growing in Asia, where 7.4 million people are living with HIV/AIDS. India, the world’s second most populous country, has 4.5 million data this year is more accurate than ever due to better data collection methods and analysis. The number of people living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S. is close to one million. Both reports explained that the data this year is more accurate than ever due to better data collection methods and analysis.

UNAIDS Executive Director Dr. Peter Piot discussed the new figures at a press conference on November 25, expressing his concern about places like Southern Africa and India. “The most significant finding of the report is that the epidemic continues to expand, tightening its grip on Southern Africa and threatening South and East Asia,” Dr. Piot said. But he found hope in decreasing prevalence rates in Uganda and some African capitals, as well as what he termed “a new phase in the global response to AIDS.” That response includes increased political momentum “never seen before at such a high level for a health problem,” Dr. Piot said, as well as a fifty percent increase in AIDS spending over the year before. Still, the $4.7 billion spent this year in the developing world is less than half of what is needed for treatment.

➢ What is the issue?

The Children's Plight

In Zimbabwe alone, at least one-third of the country's 11.3 million people are believed to be HIV-infected. The National AIDS Council in Zimbabwe estimates over 700,000 orphans in the country have lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS-related deaths.

HIV Infections on the Rise in United States

The CDC reported that new cases of HIV increased by 5.1 percent between 1999 and 2002. Hispanics experienced the greatest increase at a soaring 26 percent. Among gay and bisexual men of all races, new infections rose by 17 percent. The report revealed that African Americans still make up more than half of all new infections, while HIV infections increased by eight percent among whites. Overall, rates among men increased by seven percent, while they remained stable for women.

Better Reporting Paints a More Accurate Picture

Both reports reflect new and better reporting methods. The UNAIDS figures resulted from an expansion of surveillance efforts in many countries and improved research and estimating methods. While this year’s figure of 40 million people living with HIV is a downward revision of the 2002 estimate of 42 million, the decrease demonstrates not fewer infections, but more accurate data.

The report released by the CDC is considered the best picture yet of HIV in the United States. New, confidential reporting of HIV infections in 29 states is now yielding more accurate numbers. Previously, the Centers used AIDS cases as an indicator of HIV prevalence, but the widespread use of antiretroviral therapy (which delays the onset of AIDS) renders such analysis incomplete. More states will soon have confidential HIV reporting, and the CDC is creating a system to estimate the number of new infections through national sampling. The situation may be more grave than the recent report indicates, since it excludes states with some of the highest rates of infection, including California and New York.

➢ Based on the diagram to the left, why is HIV such an evasive (hard to find) virus to detect?

➢ Based on the diagram to the left why do people unknowingly become infected?

Better Reporting Paints a More Accurate Picture

The statistics at home and abroad reveal the inextricable relationship between poverty and HIV. Worldwide, developing nations continue to bear the brunt of the pandemic. Here in the United States, black and Latino populations shoulder a disproportionate number of cases, an imbalance that experts say reflects the disease’s prevalence in impoverished communities.

➢ What are some reasons that AIDS is more prevalent in non-developed countries?

➢ Which groups of people seem to show the highest incidences of HIV infection domestically and abroad?

In the U.S., some of the increases in rates of infection also show a dangerous waning of awareness that has resulted in less vigilance on sexual health. Complacency springs from a number of factors, experts say, among them the perception that AIDS can be “managed” by antiretroviral therapy. The increases also point to shortcomings of past awareness campaigns that targeted white communities while neglecting minorities.

Developing countries lack the resources to overcome the HIV/AIDS challenge on their own. According to a paper prepared by the World Bank, widespread support is required to help these countries establish national HIV/AIDS programs that include basic prevention, treatment, care and mitigation tools.

Fortunately, the United States and other countries are slowly realizing that they are required as global leaders to help address the global pandemic. Last year, the United States increased its investment toward international AIDS efforts by $100 million and President Clinton requested $100 million in additional funds in the FY 2001 budget. These funds are directed toward education, prevention and treatment programs, as well as for care of the estimated 11 million children orphaned by the disease. The Clinton administration had formally designated HIV/AIDS as a threat to U.S. national security because of the disease's potential to cause unrest and destabilize nations throughout the world. Additionally, several pieces of legislation are currently pending in Congress that would help to address the global epidemic, including bills authored by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Oakland Representative Barbara Lee (D-CA).

Most experts agree that the answer ultimately lies in the development of an HIV vaccine. Unfortunately, current market incentives are not sufficient to encourage industry to develop affordable and effective vaccines for the developing world. San Francisco Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senator John Kerry (D-MA) have introduced legislation calling for a broader package of incentives to companies engaged in vaccine

research. President Clinton has also proposed a tax credit in his FY 2001 budget to encourage drug and biotechnology companies to develop vaccines.

The San Francisco AIDS Foundation will push forward with its own policy efforts on the vaccine front, working with other organizations such as the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative and the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition to stimulate private sector involvement and public-private partnerships in vaccine development. The United States and other nations must step up efforts to curtail the global AIDS pandemic. This work is essential to achieving the AIDS Foundation's mission of ending the pandemic and the human suffering caused by AIDS.

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HOW THE HIV ATTACKS A T4 LYMPHOCYTE

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“The most significant finding of the report is that the epidemic continues to expand, tightening its grip on Southern Africa and threatening South and East Asia.” -Dr. Peter Piot, Executive Director, UNAIDS.

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