Aids Essay Research Paper HIVAIDS — страница 4

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but the growth rate is slowing. From 1995 to 1996 the growth rate was less than 2%. The growth rate from 1993 to 1994 was 5%. First signs of drop in deaths of AIDS victims came in January 1997, when New York City reported a 30 percent drop in the number of Aids deaths in 1996. The Center for Disease Control credits better treatments, new drugs, and better access to treatment through state and federal programs. Some think that the decline is unfortunately only a standstill, because for some patients the new drugs are not effective(Meyer A1). Doctors and researchers have been doing research on the virus. They have studied several drugs that stop the growth of HIV in laboratories. One of the drugs is zidovudine, formerly called azidothymidine and commonly known as AZT. Research

suggest that azidothymidine can delay the onset of opportunistic illnesses. This drug produces toxic side effects. Some other ones are didanosine(ddl), zalcitbine, which was formerly known as dideoxycytidine and commonly called ddc, and stavudine, which is commonly called D4T. These three drugs also produce dangerous side effects. Researchers are investigating treatments to help restore normal function to the immune system. They believe that any eventual cure must stop the growth of the virus, prevent opportunistic illnesses, and restore the immune system(Drotman 164). Some vaccines are being tested on animals and as of 1993, one is being tested on people who are at very high risk(Nichols 11). “Magic” Johnson’s HIV is now undetectable, but not absent. Though he is not

cured, powerful drugs have reduced the AIDS virus in his body to undetectable levels. Undetectable does not mean absent. Activists hope that his progress encourages people to get tested and take advantage of improved treatment. Thousands of HIV patients have had their infections recede to undetectable levels after taking drugs called protease inhibitor. Even though a person with undetectable virus levels can still infect other people. Even if the virus is undetectable in blood or semen, it can still be present in other areas such as intestines. Protease inhibitors reduce illnesses in infected people. These drugs are taken on a strict schedule along with two other AIDS drugs. It requires particular timing. Some drugs must be taken an hour before eating or two hours after. Even

with this patients still get side effects. Some of the side effects are nausea, vomiting, headaches, backaches, and gastrointestinal problems. As many as forty percent of the people who take the concoction of drugs develop a resistance to them either because the virus becomes resistant after years of on other drugs, or because patients don’t or are unable to take the drugs as ordered. These wonder drugs are expensive costing between $12,000 and $15,000 a year. Although these drugs are expensive it is still worth prolonging a person’s life. The virus infects children and newborns, too. Newborns become quite ill by age 1, because their immune system has not fully developed. Most babies that are infected die by 18 months(Quackenbush 23). Today kids need to know about HIV and

AIDS. They need to know how a person gets the virus, how it is spread, how they won’t get it, what it is, how they can protect themselves from it, and what’s going to happen to them if they get it. The real risk of infection for them is through sexual molestation by an infected adult. There are three main reasons why children need to know. One is natural curiosity. AIDS is now an undeniable part of the world. They are curious about the world. They have questions about the world. Another reason is the anxiety children may have about the disease. They understand that AIDS is a very serious disease. The thing they don’t understand is the concept of “not casually transmitted.” The final reason is some children have family members or friends with HIV or AIDS. The kids that

have an infected family member or friend face many personal challenges. They get harassed by their peers because their peers don’t know what HIV or AIDS is. They think that the kid has cooties or something. Children need to know about HIV and AIDS so they can understand and so they don’t harass other kids about it(Quackenbush 27). In the United States, federal, state, and local government have provided funds for education, treatment, and research of AIDS. Public health clinics have counseling and HIV-antibody testing to people who have symptoms or are at risk of infection(Drotman 164). Community organizations hope that greater awareness will lead to more compassion and more funding. One project is the AIDS quilt. It was begun in 1986 by an organization called the NAMES