Diseases
Variations
 Disease- a disorder of a body, system,
organ structure or function. Ex. Christmas
Disease (hemophilia B)
 Virus- any member of a unique class of
infectious agents. Need a host to replicate.
Ex. HIV
 Infection- Invasion and multiplication of
microorganisms in body tissues. Ex.
Staph.
HIV/AIDS
 1.) Nearly 37 million people across the globe are infected
with HIV. HIV stands for human immunodifiency virus a
disease that affects the immune system. This infection is
transmitted through human contact or during pregnancy.
If HIV goes untreated, it can progress to AIDS as CD4
cells that help the body fight disease are destroyed. HIV
and AIDS are caused by human contact with an infected
person. They cannot be transmitted through mosquitoes
or bathrooms as was widely believed in the 1980s.
HIV/AIDS
 2.) HIV and AIDS occur in both developing and
developed countries. However, developed countries
such as the United States have reduced the deaths from
AIDS. Populations in Africa, Haiti, and Asia, however,
continue to have outbreaks. Physical features don’t play
a role in outbreaks of this virus. Human contact is the
main factor in transmission and precautions taken by
humans affect the rates of transmission.
HIV/AIDS
 3.) HIV AND AIDS have their own symptoms. Someone
can be infected with HIV for many years before
symptoms appear. Infected persons usually experience
fever, headache and body aches. Once HIV has
progressed to full blown AIDS, humans experience
weight loss, fatigue and swollen lymph nodes. Those
infected with AIDS also have a low CD4 count which
affects the body’s ability to fight off infections. Death
from AIDS comes from illness that occurs as a result of a
low white blood cell count.
HIV/AIDS
 4.) There is no cure for HIV or AIDS. HIV can be kept at
bay with various drugs. Treatment, however, has
reduced the number of deaths in many developed
countries. HIV and AIDS are treated with combinations
of various anti-retroviral drugs. These drugs can be
extremely expensive and have many side effects such
as stomach pains, weakened bones and heart disease.
Treatment and education have been a main focus to
preventing the disease.
Resources
 http://www.cdc.gov/
 http://www.webmd.com/