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Today's Plague

Today’s Plague: A Brief Overview and History of HIV/AIDS

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

HIV comes from a group of viruses called lentiviruses. These types of viruses other than HIV, have been found in various non-human animals of the primate family. A descendent of the simian (monkey) immunodeficiency virus (SIV), HIV is believed to have been passed down from animals to humans in a process called zoonosis. Researchers concluded that HIV could have been transferred as a result of a human killing a chimp and eating it for food.

Chimpanzees Believed To Be The Carries Of HIV+

Currently there are two types of HIV virus: HIV-1 and HIV-2. Worldwide, HIV-1 predominates, and generally, when people refer HIV without specifying the type, they are speaking of HIV-1. Both types of the virus are transmitted through the blood, sexual fluids, or from mother to child, however, HIV-2 is less easily transmitted and the period between initial infection and illn...

Posted by: Angelia Holliday

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