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Hiv

Many eyebrows raised late in 1979, when the then unknown HIV virus raised its ugly head. The first two cases of the rare cancer, Karposis Sarcoma was diagnosed in two homosexual men in New York City. About the same time in Los Angeles, several cases of the rare infection, Pneumocytis cariini pneumonia were being treated. Incidences of these strange diseases and infections were sky-rocketting around the country. The disease was effecting mostly young gay men in their 30's. There was no official name for the syndrome, but it was referred to by various names, GRID (gay related immune disease), Gay Cancer, and, "Community Acquired Syndrome". In 1982 public health officials began to use the term, Acquired Immunodeficiency Disease (AIDS) to describe the incidences of oppotunistic infections that caused AIDS. Scientists discovered the virus that caused AIDS in 1983 (HorowitzXV). According to Brennnan Durack, this was the dawning of AIDS epidemic, or the beginning of the public's awareness of AIDS.
After becoming infected with the HiV virus either by sexual activity, blood and blood products, needle sharing, mother to fetus, stage one begins. For the 4 to 8 weeks after being infected, the person may experience general flu-like symptoms. At this time blood levels of the virus are high in the blood and low in the lymph nodes. then the virus lies dormant.
Infected by the HIV virus, the human body produces antibodies to fight the virus. A blood test can reveal if someone has the HIV disease or not, if he or she has the disease, then he or she is HIV-positive. Being HIV-positive is not the same as having AIDS, the disease does not have to make the person sick immediately, it often stays suppressed for many years. Once the disease breaks out, it slowly wears down the immune system making a person very vulnerable to normally harmless viruses, parasites, fungi and bacteria, if any of those attacks the immune system it can make you very sick and could even prove fatal, these...