AIDS/HIV Refresher Course on The History and Treatments for the Disease

Retroviruses are complex types of viruses that have a complex reproduction cycle. Their mutation rate is very high-precisely why HIV, and example of retroviruses is so lethal. These viruses contain 2 RNS molecules, surrounded by a protein shell. A viral envelope surrounds this shell. This allows the virus to attach to a host cell-this also helps for the RNA to be inserted.

This works with the evolutionary process by disproving a theory about viruses and their origins. What this does is clarify that a long-standing theory-that viruses generally develop from humans is incorrect-and that although the virus did not originate with us, humans have somehow developed a resistance. This causes us to look twice at our own origins and what we see in textbooks.

AIDS:

The four theories of AIDS are:
1.The Tainted Polio Vaccine-HIV could have resulted from the experimental use of an oral polio vaccine in Africa. This theory first appeared in 1992 from a journalist Tom Curtis of Rolling Stone. He suggested that the African Green Monkey carried the virus in “their kidney cells, which were used to grow virus'” This “experiment” took place in Congo, Burundi and Rwanda-the three mainstays of the AIDS epidemic in the third world.

2.The Cut Hunter Theory-Simply, hunters blood to blood contact with an infected primate. This is not too farfetched especially since in the 20th century with urbanization and closer quarters and intimacy-both rip conditions for the spread of what we now consider to be a sexually transmitted disease.

3.The Contaminated Needle Theory-The change to plastic syringes guaranteed sterility in a hospital setting-therefore doctors used needles to administer a wide variety of medications. But sometimes these needles were not disposed of and non-sterilized needles were reused-including ones contaminated with HIV.

4.The Heart of Darkness Theory-This theory is very similar to the cut hunter theory. The basis of this theory is that chaos occurred after the withdrawal from Africa. Once the control of the colonials left, Chaos ensued and this was how AIDS was passed along and the disease progressed.

I believe that the cut hunter theory seems to be the closest to reality. Scientists to this date have not come up with a way to easily disprove this theory. I really believe that the timing of the widespread HIV-1 and HIV-2 is too coincidental for it to be any other of the theories previously mentioned. If one looks at how the way AIDS/HIV is transmitted now, it is very similar. Right now we have that same “urbanization” that occurred in the middle of the 20th century-ripe conditions for a disease to spread.
AIDS/HIV is having a HUGE impact on the world’s social and economic structure.

One need not be a part of a third world country to feel the effects though. President Bush proposed $15 billion worth of aide to help fight global AIDS. This is not enough. AIDS clips .2% off the annual amount of gross domestic product. This might not seem like much at first glance, but to a third world country this is a loss of $25 billion a year. By causing death and illness in workers, the HIV/AIDS epidemic reduces the skills and experience of the work force. With the debilitating and deadly affects of the illness, it will lead not only to a reduced capacity of production and lack of employment/work force, but it will increase poverty levels and hinder development. I am not a math major, but the equation itself is simple: loss of human workforce equals no sustainable development.

If developed countries like the United States do not offer more concrete support, both monetarily and with pharmaceuticals, the burden of the HIV/AIDS epidemic will be felt all around by rich and poor nations around the world