Aids/hiv (1 Viewer)

[.ben]

 identify data sources, gather process and analyse information from secondary sources to describe one named infectious disease in terms of its: – cause – transmission – host response – major symptoms – treatment – prevention – control

for the above dotpoint, are we allowed to do AIDS/HIV? if so, when writing about the disease do we talk about HIV or AIDS or both?

 

[kami]

 identify data sources, gather process and analyse information from secondary sources to describe one named infectious disease in terms of its: – cause – transmission – host response – major symptoms – treatment – prevention – control

for the above dotpoint, are we allowed to do AIDS/HIV? if so, when writing about the disease do we talk about HIV or AIDS or both?

HIV is the virus which causes the AIDS syndrome, so that is what you would discuss if you wanted to use that example. Its a usable example, but some people find the host response segment confusing as the body does not really have succesful defenses against HIV. So just make sure you can explain that dotpoint to yourself with clarity and you should be fine.

 

[Survivor39]

Yes, like Kami have said, HIV is a virus and AIDS is the name of the disease. You need to refer to both.

I think most of the other parts are relatively easy to find info. For the host reponse, you need to mention there is an initial increase of the viral load, accompanied by the decrease in CD4+ T cells; then, an increase in CD8+ T cells, followed by decrease of the viral load. this last for a long period of time and CD4+ T cells increase a bit but never return to the normal level etc. (I think you might need more detail than this)

Host reponse = What is the host doing about the infectious agent, e.g. increase certain immune cells? Adaptive Immunity? Innate immunity?

 

[.ben]

wow, that much detail!

here's what i got:

"AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) is an infectious disease caused by the retrovirus HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). It basically destroys the body's immune system, leaving it susceptible to other opportunistic infections or diseases.

The cause of AIDS is HIV. When a person contracts HIV, HIV particles invade CD4+ T lymphocytes and use the cells' own genetic material to produce billions of new HIV particles. These new particles cause the infected CD4 cell to burst (lyse). The new particles can then enter the bloodstream and infect other cells. Once someone is infected with HIV, their number of normal CD4 cells continues to decrease. Upon destroying enough, the person's immune system will be so weak that AIDS will be diagnosed.

HIV is transmitted mainly through direct bodily fluid or mucous membrane contact with an infected individual. This can include blood, semen, vaginal fluid, preseminal fluid, and breast milk. Generally, the activities associated with HIV transmission are unprotected anal, vaginal or oral sex, blood transfusion, contaminated needles, exchange between mother and baby during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding, or other exposure to one of the above bodily fluids. However, the use of a condom during sexual intercourse can lower the risk of HIV by up to 80%.

The human body's response to HIV

Because AIDS breaks down the body's immune system allowing for other opportunistic infections and diseases to target the body, it provokes many symptoms characteristic of other diseases. HIV infection has no symptoms or causes only a flu-like illness with many of the following symptoms: fever, sore throat, rash, nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, muscle aches, headaches and joint pain.

While currently there are no cures for HIV/AIDS, combination treatment plans are available to slow the disease. These include the HAART (Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy) which suppress the virus’s replication. Due to the temporary nature of these treatments, they must be administered regularly to ensure effectiveness.

Prevention of AIDS is relatively simple in first world countries. Basic steps such as using a condom during intercourse, not sharing needles and responsible treating of infected pregnant women would prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. However many third world countries lack the financial and intellectual resources to deal with this pandemic, making it difficult to contain the spread.

Control mechanisms to retard the spread of AIDS include education programs to inform people of dangerous behaviour and to dispel the social stigma associated with HIV/AIDS."

 

[kami]

I like your first half, but if this is for a research assignment maybe you should be a bit more explicit and in depth. For example with the hosts response you haven't discussed the immuno-response mechanisms in much depth(even though it is inneffective - you could briefly outline why it is inneffective).

I'd also say you don't really describe prevention measures so much as identifying them - commenting on the basic mechanisms of how all the prevention measures work would be nice (and easy to do). For example each protection measure is based on prevention of sharing of bodily fluids which would contain the HIV, this is done by establishing barriers (latex condoms which are 98% effective or something) or removing the point of contact such as preventing the sharing of needles or abstinence(a program which isn't socially effective IMO).

Controls also not only involve education, but also faccilitation in that many many places have condoms available for little expense and there are even some locations which offer them for free. There are also needle exchange programs available to faccilitate safe needle use.

You don't need to write a whole essay on each aspect of this dotpoint, but you should make it clear that your knowledge is as extensive as possible.

 

[Survivor39]

When you prepare for dot points like that one, you have to make sure that you have enough information to score you 8 marks in the exam for an 8-mark question.

It looks good at the moment but yes you just need a section on the host response.

Picking HIV/AIDS to do is not neccessarily a bad thing but because it has a complex biological mechanism, the marker can pick on a number of things in the exam if he/she knows a bit about HIV/AIDS. Note that this is not uncommon because we know so much about HIV/AIDS and I'm sure many biology teachers know what is going on compare to other diseases. For example, I can deduct say 1 mark from your response because you only talked about lysis of CD4 T cells as the cause of AIDS. However, as we all know, HIV/AIDS is a CHRONIC infection, which means that it lasts for a long time. This means that the virus can actually enter a phase in which they "hide" in CD4 T cells, prolonging their infections and persist in the host. This also implies that not all viral particles induce immediate lysis - a critical feature of the HIV virus. HIV viruses also attack other host cells such as CD8+ T cells.

Hopefull you know what I mean. It is just a well-studied disease, so the markers don't have to be a virologist to know the fundamental of HIV/AIDS but still able to find faults in your response and not reward you with full marks.

 

[.ben]

Thanks guys i took ur advice and improved it (hopefully) accordingly.

"AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) is an infectious disease caused by the retrovirus HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus). It basically destroys the body's immune system, leaving it susceptible to other opportunistic infections or diseases.

The cause of AIDS is HIV. When a person contracts HIV, HIV particles invade CD4+ T lymphocytes and use the cells' own genetic material to produce billions of new HIV particles. These new particles cause the infected CD4 cell to burst (lyse). The new particles can then enter the bloodstream and infect other cells. Once someone is infected with HIV, their number of normal CD4 cells continues to decrease. However, not long after infection, the body's immune system increases CD8+ T lymphocytes and antibodies which dramatically reduce HIV levels and allow CD4+ T lymphocytes to remultiply (but never back to their original levels). This is temporary only with the virus using elusion mechanisms to hide in reservoirs such as the chromosomes and also mutating rapidly. Thus eventually upon destroying enough CD4+ T lymphocytes, the person's immune system will be so weak that AIDS will be diagnosed.

HIV is transmitted mainly through direct bodily fluid or mucous membrane contact with an infected individual. This can include blood, semen, vaginal fluid, preseminal fluid, and breast milk. Generally, the activities associated with HIV transmission are unprotected anal, vaginal or oral sex, blood transfusion, contaminated needles, exchange between mother and baby during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding, or other exposure to one of the above bodily fluids. However, the use of a condom during sexual intercourse can lower the risk of HIV by up to 80%.

Because AIDS breaks down the body's immune system allowing for other opportunistic infections and diseases to target the body, it provokes many symptoms characteristic of other diseases. HIV infection has no symptoms or causes only a flu-like illness with many of the following symptoms: fever, sore throat, rash, nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, muscle aches, headaches and joint pain.

While currently there are no cures for HIV/AIDS, combination treatment plans are available to slow the disease. These include the HAART (Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy) which suppress the virus’s replication. Due to the temporary nature of these treatments, they must be administered regularly to ensure effectiveness.

Prevention of HIV/AIDS is relatively simple in first world countries. Each is based on the principle of preventing the sharing of infected bodily fluids mentioned above. Basic steps include the use of a condom, which studies show reduces transmission of the virus by up to 80%. Another measure would be to eliminate the sharing of materials require to take drugs such as syringes and cotton balls. Finally, the probability of mother-to-child transmission can be greatly decreased (from 25% to just 1%) through the use of antiretroviral therapy in the weeks before a caesarean section birth.

Control mechanisms to retard the spread of AIDS include education programs to inform people of dangerous behaviour and to dispel the social stigma associated with HIV/AIDS. Particularly in the economically disadvantaged countries, potential steps such as providing condoms free of charge and investing in needle exchange programs would stem the spread of HIV/AIDS. However many third world countries lack the financial and intellectual resources to deal with this pandemic, making it

difficult to contain the spread."

 

[Survivor39]

That's good.

"Thus eventually upon destroying enough CD4+ T lymphocytes, the person's immune system will be so weak that AIDS will be diagnosed."

CD4+ T cells are responsible for the coordination of the immune system, which is why they are also referred to as "Helper T cells". Instead of saying "the immune system will be so weak", may be say something about the immune system is dysregulated due to the function of CD4+ T cells.

 

[.ben]

mmhmm colo thanks for all your help,

and to kami as well.