Nt1310 Unit 1 Assignment 1

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
Human Immune-deficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) remains incurable and devastates many communities and nations. Since the first reported case in the United State in 1981, it has spread unremittingly to virtually every country in the world. The number of people living with HIV virus has risen from about 10 million in 1991 to 33 million in 2007. In the same year, there were 2.7 million infections and 2 million HIV related death. Globally, about 45% of new infections occur among young people (The Guardian, 2009).
Africa remains the must affected region in the world. Sub-Saharan Africa which has just about 10% of the world’s population is home to two-third of
It was first reported in the United States in July 1981. The New York Times reported an outbreak of the disease in New York and California as a rare form of cancer among gay men first referred to as “Gay cancer” but medically known as Kaposi’s sarcoma. In the second year of the outbreak of the disease it was investigated by the Disease Control Department called Centre for Disease Control (CDC) which link the disease to blood and coin the term AIDS. In the first year of the outbreak, over 1600 cases were diagnosed with about 700 deaths, (UNAID, 2008).
As the number of deaths soared, medical experts scramble to find the cause and more importantly a cure. In 1994 Institute Pasteur France discovered what they called human immune deficiency virus (HIV) and DR. R. Gallo confirmed that HIV was the cause of AIDS in 1985.
Following the discovery, the first test for HIV was approved in 1985. Over the years, medications to combat the virus were developed as well as medicine to prevent infection all without a successful result. HIV/AIDS remain one of the greatest health and social problem threatening humanity. The basic biology of the virus from inside out include RNA which contains all of its genetic information, a key enzymes it uses to replicates (reverse transcriptase) and a binding proteins that allow it to binds to human cell, (USAID,2007).
Basic Structure of the
There are an estimated 33.3 million people living with the virus, and each year millions more people become infected (USAID, 2008). Effective HIV and AIDS education can help prevent these new infections by providing people with information about HIV and how it is passed on, and in doing so equipping individuals with the knowledge to protect themselves from becoming infected with the virus.
HIV and AIDS education also plays a vital role in reducing stigma and discrimination. Around the world, there continues to be a great deal of fear and stigmatization of people living with HIV, which is fuelled by misunderstanding and misinformation. This not only has a negative impact on people living with HIV, but can also fuel the spread of HIV by discouraging people from seeking testing and treatment. “AIDS affects many parts of society, and so everyone needs to be aware of HIV and AIDS.” (Durojaiye,