1. What and how it affects: Today the world is facing a most serious challenge which is no less than the nuclear war is the fatal disease called AIDS. The expanded form reads as Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. The virus responsible for the disease is known as Human Immunodeficiency Virus or in short HIV. By nature, every body has its own defense mechanism that is immunity. But the AIDS virus which attacks the white blood cells destroys the immunity system of the body. AS a result, the affected person becomes very much susceptible to various other diseases which other wise could have been avoided but because of absence of self defense system the affected person gets the common ailments very easily. This is called the secondary infection and it becomes the cause of the death f the patient and the AIDS virus becomes indirectly responsible the death. 2. How the disease transmits: Following four are the common line of attack by which the disease spreads. a. Mainly AIDS is a sexually transmitted disease and spreads through unprotected sexual affair with the affected one who is carrying a virus. Main reason attributable is undesirable sexual practices, polygamy and polyandry. b. Infected needles when shared between AIDS patient and an unaffected person the later naturally gets the virus in. Needles for injection invariably should be sterilized properly. c. Transfusion of blood is another area where proper control requires to be administered. Contaminated blood may spread the disease. d. An affected person may unknowingly transmit the fatal disease to her baby through her blood. 3. What are the symptoms: The disease has severe effect on brain, consequently the patient exhibits loss of memory and disability to speak. Weight loss, severe sweating, fever and swollen organs are some of the common symptoms. The common ailments like cold, stomach disorder etc (known as secondary infection) becomes a regular phenomenon which could not be cured at ease and consequently lingers over a period at a stretch. 4. How to prevent or control the disease: Till date the dreaded disease is not curable, once the disease is confirmed, the affected person is destined to breathe his last soon, no medicine or vaccine will have any effect on it. However, the infection may be controlled to some extent by adopting the following steps:- a. Mass awareness to be created through proper education and publicity of prevention measures through all modes of available media. b. All blood meant for transfusion must be adequately screened before actually pushed in. c. Use of disposable needles and syringes should be made mandatory for any injection. d. Sexual contacts should be strictly restricted among the regular partner and must be avoided with unknown ones. e. So far as possible common razor at barber's shop should be avoided. f. Sterilization of needles and syringes by all means should be adhered to. |
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