An Essay on New Discoveries in the Treatment of HIV and AIDS: Insights

This essay provides a comprehensive overview of HIV and AIDS, beginning with an explanation of the virus and its impact on the immune system. It delves into the symptoms of the disease, from early stages to clinical latency, and explores the various systems of the body affected by HIV, including the digestive and central nervous systems. The essay then discusses the causes of HIV transmission and methods of diagnosis, including antibody testing and home testing kits. The core of the essay focuses on treatment methods, particularly antiretroviral therapy (ART), detailing different drug classes like NNRTIs, NRTIs, PIs, and entry inhibitors. It highlights the contributions of famous individuals affected by the disease and concludes by emphasizing the ongoing efforts to develop new treatments and the importance of early detection. The essay stresses the significance of annual checkups and provides references for further reading, presenting a well-rounded view of the disease and its management.

New Discoveries in the treatment of HIV and AIDS
HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus, is basically a virus that effects the
immune system of the Human body. Immune system protects the body of organisms
against different bacteria and virus that are harmful and dangerous for human health.
HIV virus destroy CD4 cells that is a type of white blood cell and produce the copies of
these harmful cells on continuous basis. These cells spread all over the body until its
break down the whole immune system and may cause death to the effected person.
AIDS stands for acquired immune deficiency syndrome. It is usually misinterpreted as
virus, whereas it is a set of symptoms caused by HIV virus. If a person is having AIDS, it
means that person’s immune system is too weak to fight against HIV virus and his
health will deteriorate at a high pace. It is also called the last stage of HIV and may lead
to the death (Avert,2018).
According to some sources, it is believed that it started back in 1920s, other sources
says that it started in 1970. There was many evidences of its origin from 1980s. First
ever case reported about was of rare lung infected PCP that stands for Pneumocystis
Carinii Pneumonia in 1981. In 1982, it was named as AIDS and more cased were most
cases reported and were commonly Male homosexual patients that are suffering form
this disease (Blattner,W et al, 1988). HIV treatment involves the process of slowing
down the progress of virus. Medicines need to be taken in a consistent manner that
keeps the person healthy for many years. However, new developments in this area,
restricts this virus from duplication. The aim of this essay is to deliver to the readers and
increase their knowledge about this virus, its treatment and new discoveries in this field.
Several lines of evidence, from four different human populations and in the setting of
two different modes of acquiring HIV, i.e., mother-to-child and adult-to-adult, indicated
that progress of coping cells was a major determinant of enhanced HIV susceptibility
among individuals.( Gonzalez et al, 2005)
The symptoms of HIV are on constant, they vary among different individuals. In the
early stage of the this disease, the patient will have a temperature higher than normal
temperature of human body, sweating without any workout, the patient will feel tired and
fatigue, a swollen lymph nodes and mouth ulcers. Mere symptoms does not make
things clear, on should get it tested and if it is HIV positive so one should get getting the
treatment as soon as possible. After the initial stage, next stage is called clinical
Latency Stage. At this stage, HIV is growing at a low pace and the patient may face
symptoms like reduction in weight extreme tiredness, diarrhea that remains for days to
weeks, Pneumonia, in some cases, the patient may face memory loss, depression etc.
many other severe diseases may attach because of week and ill immune system. HIV
not only effects the immune system but it also disturbs the other systems of the body
like digestive system, that causes decreased appetite, difficulty in digestion, causing a
white layer on tongue, diarrhea and abdominal pain and vomiting are the evidence that
person is suffering from some severe infection. Central nervous system is also affected

by it, it disturbs the cells that helps in sending messages from brain to rest of the body
through nerves. The result would be headache, confusion and seizures (Looby et al,
2018) Respiratory system is also a victim of this infectious disease, HIV increases
colds, influenza and pneumonia and once it starts, the cure is a long and lengthy
process. Trouble in breathing, continuous cough and pain while breathing are also
among the symptoms. Depressive symptoms are common among individuals living with
HIV/AIDS; nationally representative data suggest that 36% of these individuals are likely
to screen positive for clinical depression .(Gonzalez et al, 2011)
Cause of this disease can be different and is transmitted by various means like drinking
contaminated water of the infected person, using used equipment of the HIV positive
person like needles, blade etc., having physical contact that involves exchange of fluids
like blood, saliva etc. can also transfer the germs from one person to another.
The most common way to diagnose HIV is to test the blood or saliva of antibodies. It
take usually is months for body to produce enough antibodies that are disease fighting
proteins to HIV. The home testing technique is also available that requires to a drop of
blood or sample of saliva. If the test is negative then that means that test will be
conducted again to confirm the results(john,2018).
There are many different method and treatments by which it can treated. The most
famous and new method is antiretroviral therapy, abbreviated as ART. Various drugs,
constraints the virus differently, but it is recommended for everyone.
The first treatment is called NNRTIs that stands for Non-nucleoside reverse
transcriptase inhibitors, it turns off the proteins that make replicas of the infectious cells
and help a person live a healthy life. Second is called NRTIs that stands for Nucleoside
or nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors, these forms that blockage for HIV to make
copies of itself and slows down the progress of cells. PIs that stands for Protease
inhibitors, freeze the growth of HIV protein that works same that is to prevent coping the
cells on continuous basis. Another method is called Entry or fusion inhibitors that enters
into CD4 cells and slows down its activation (Nittayananta, 2008).
This disease is common among many famous people such as basketball legend Magic
Johnson, Charlie Sheen the star of serious Two and a Half Men, Eazy-E a famous
rapper, died at the age of 32 cause AIDS, Liberace, a pianist, Glenn Burke a famous
baseball player also died at a young age. There are many other names of famous
personality of the world that died cause of this fatal disease and caused a great loss for
the world.
It is conclude that HIV AIDS is a fatal disease and there is no complete cure of this
disease. However are the various methods by which this progress of cells can be
slowed down and life expectancy can be increased? It is crucial to identify the
symptoms of HIV and get it tested before it reaches its last stage. Scientists are
consistently working to developing new ways that helps in curing this disease. It is not a
new infection, rather it very old and it has caused this world a great loss in terms of

causing death and health deterioration of many famous personalities and great
contributors of the world. Normally, people do not take fatigue and tiredness as a
serious symptoms and usually choose to ignore it, however it should not be the case
and it should be taken seriously. Each person should get himself a complete check
annually or semiannually basis.
References:
Nittayananta, W. (2008). Penicilliosis marneffei: another AIDS defining illness in
Southeast Asia. Oral Diseases, 5(4), pp.286-293.
AVERT. (2018) what are HIV and AIDS?. [online] Available at: <
https://www.avert.org/about-hiv-aids/what-hiv-aids > [accessed 2 July 2018]
Blattner, W., Gallo, R.C. and Temin, H.M., (1988) HIV causes aids. Science, 241(4865),
pp.515-516.
Looby, S., Psaros, C., Raggio, G., Rivard, C., Smeaton, L., Shifren, J., Grinspoon, S.
and Joffe, H. (2018). Association between HIV status and psychological symptoms in
perimenopausal women. Menopause, 25(6), pp.648-656.
Gonzalez, J., Batchelder, A., Psaros, C. and Safren, S. (2011) Depression and
HIV/AIDS Treatment Nonadherence: A Review and Meta-analysis. JAIDS Journal of
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes, 58(2), pp.181-187.
Gonzalez, E. (2017). The Influence of CCL3L1 Gene-Containing Segmental
Duplications on HIV-1/AIDS Susceptibility. Science, 307(5714), pp.1434-1440.
Gonzalez, E. (2017) The Influence of CCL3L1 Gene-Containing Segmental
Duplications on HIV-1/AIDS Susceptibility. Science, 307(5714), pp.1434-1440.