The World Distribution of HIV/AIDS

The World Distribution of HIV/AIDS 4
The World Distribution of HIV/AIDS
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, more commonly known as AIDS, is a fatal transmissible disorder of the immune system that is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Essex (1997) states that the HIV virus gradually destroys the immune system, leaving the body vulnerable to a variety of life-threatening illnesses. The HIV virus is mainly spread through sexual intercourse, needle sharing, and from mother to child. In rare causes the virus has been spread through artificial insemination and organ transplantation. The stages of HIV infection start with acute HIV infection, then progressing into asymptomatic HIV infection, next it advances into early symptomatic HIV infection, and the last stage is full-blown AIDS.
Allen and Kanabus (2000) believe HIV was spread from monkeys to humans between 1926 -1946. HIV is part of a family or group of viruses called lentiviruses. Lentiviruses other th...