_Aids _
By: Jamie Gausemel
“ AIDS is actually the final stage... of infection with what we know as the
AIDS virus” (Langone 8). “ AIDS is... also accepted as a syndrome, a
collection of specific, life- threatening... infections and symptoms that is
the result of an underlying immune deficiency - a deficiency not caused by any
known conditions and illnesses other than infection with the AIDS virus” (8).
There is one main explanation of how AIDS started and came to America.
Scientists believe that when the Portuguese took Africans to Japan, the
Africans got AIDS from the monkeys (63). The monkeys would be in the trash,
and when the people, including the Africans, would chase the monkeys away, the
monkeys would fight back biting and scratching (63). That is how the Africans
got AIDS, but scientists do not know how AIDS got to Africa (63). Scientists
do know how AIDS got to America. Haitian laborers went to Africa and
contracted the disease ( Hay 13-14). Then the laborers returned to Haiti, and
met homosexual men from the United States (13-14). The homosexual men
contracted AIDS from the Haitians and returned to the United States where AIDS
spread further (13-14)When AIDS is in peoples bodies it does not mean
people are infected with the virus, but there is a 20-50 percent chance that
the virus will infect the patient ( Langone 9). AIDS also has many symptoms
that come with it, but there are also many medications and therapies that
help, but education is the most effective AIDS, a fatal disease caused by
HIV, causes painful symptoms that can be treated with medications and
therapies but can not be cured.HIV causes AIDS by HIV infection, dysfunction,
and the ultimate destruction of the cells that present the intracellular
microbes that cause infection to the CD4 and CD8 cells ( Caulfield and
Goldberg 95 ). People can contract AIDS many different ways such as: through
sex, sex with the same sex, and p.2 sharing needles Drug users
that are infected are the greatest single threat to potentially spread the
infection of HIV (Quackenbush and Nelson ). “IV (intraveneous) drug use is the
second largest transmission category for AIDS in the United States,
representing a consistent 17 percent of the diagnosed cases nationally” (275).
Over half of all women with AIDS have been IVdrug users and more than half
children have parents who are IV drug users (275). 90 percent of all AIDS in
state, federal, county prisons, and jails were found to be IV drug users
(275). It is very difficult for safety messages to get through to drug users
because of: denial, addictive nature, of rich behaviors, impairment of
judgment, and lack of space in treatment programs (267-77) “The AIDS [virus]
itself... does not kill” (Langone 8). It destroys the body’s capacity to ward
off bacteria and viruses that would ordinarily be fought off by a properly
functioning immune system, and it is the diseases,...that eventually kill
victims(8). The author says “one can say that the AIDS virus itself does not
kill, nor does it...cause the various diseases associated with the syndrome;
most of the disastrous events are simply the result of the damage to the
immune system (8) There are many symptoms to AIDS: they are swollen glands
which occur in the neck, armpits, or groin with or without pain (12-13).
Swollen glands is one of the most common symptoms (12-13). Unexpected and
unexplained weight loss of more than 10 pounds in less than two months and
loss of appetite (12). Another symptom is also leg weakness, unexplained fever
that lasts more than a week (12). White blemishes and spots in the mouth (13).
Hairy leukoplakia which shows with white scars in the mouth, tongue, or vagina
caused by overgrowth of the mucous membrane (13). Shingles a very painful
viral disease that are blisters that develop along the course of a nerve (13).
Night sweats: p.3 several weeks of waking up drenched with sweat,
continued diarrhea which is caused by a protozoan parasite which may be
chronic (13). Persistent dry coughing not from smoking and it lasts too long
to be a cold or flu (13). Current estimates suggest that an infected person
who does not have symptoms will probably develop detectable antibodies to the
virus in two to eight months after the initial exposure, but in some people
six or more months may go by before there is evidence of infection(11). But
while the time between infection and the presence of antibodies may be
tracked, the length of time that an infected person will remain free of
symptoms seem to vary widely, from days to many years (11) There are many
infections that come with AIDS. Tuberculosis is very harmful to AIDS patients
because it can spread to the bones, lymph nodes, the rectum, nerves, and the
lining around the heart (16). Kaposi’s Sarcoma is more likely in homosexual
men with AIDS then it is in other AIDS patients (16). It spreads to the
gastorin testical tract, the lymph nodes, and lungs (16). It has also turned
up in the brain (16). Lymphoma is the first sign of AIDS (14). Pneumonia is
the most common infection that is diagnosed in AIDS patients and has a death
rate of 25 to 50 percent (14). Cryptosporidiosis is severe diarrhea and can
result in death (15). Cryptocossosis is caused by a yeast like fungus which
results in about up to 25% of deaths even with treatment (15). Herpes simplex
virus which causes lesions on the mouth, the rectum, and genital areas which
are mild in people with out AIDS but more severe to people with AIDS (15)
AIDS does not kill you, “death results from a form of cancer,
Kaposis’s Sarcoma, that is far more aggressive in AIDS patients .... (8).
There are plenty of therapies for AIDS patients. If you exercise it will make
AIDS patients feel better and it stimulates the energy of your body (Hay
240-41). Acupuncture can increase energy, well being, and respiratory status
and decrease the size of nodes, p.4 ]elief of night sweats, and
diarrhea (240-41). Massages can relax your body which will make you feel good
(241-42). Also Reiki is good and it is directing energy from one person to
another with their hands (241-42). Trager is also another good therapy, it
relaxes one part of the body at a time (242). Rolfing is related to Trager but
is more specific and concentrated (242). Crsytal healing has been used for
thousand of years (243). It is known to have special properties that could
help in spiritual and physical healing (243). Your mental attitude will help
also (243). Taking massive doses of vitamin C will help build your immune
system and fight off other diseases (239-40). Homeopathy is a system of using
natural substances to alleviate symptoms (239-40) There are also many
medications to help against AIDS and infections associated with AIDS. IMREG-1:
increases the T4 levels and helps the immune system a little (209- 10).
Inosiplex: increases the production of NKL(Natural Killer Lymphocytes)
(209-10). Interleukin-2: known as a T-cell growth factor has shown to
proliferate all T-cell subsets (209-10). AL-721: It will coat all the body
cells making it difficult for AIDS to replicate (210). Beta-interferon: this
treats Kaposi’s Sarcoma but has severe side effects like nausea, weight loss,
and muscular pain (210). AZT: It fools AIDS with an artificial form of amino
acid which is necessary for reproduction (210). Chinese herbal medications and
Acupuncture have become very popular to Many AIDS patients use Marijuana.
Since the government will not allow AIDS patients to smoke it they have to do
it illegally and its more dangerous like that (Bruno et al. 201). There is no
guarantee patients will get Marijuana, second there’s no guarantee of potency,
and third the product on the street may contain contaminants or be adulterated
with other drugs (201). Marinol is a synthetic drug which mimics T4C the most
psychoactive chemical in Marijuana (200). It takes from one to four hours for
Marinol to p.5 work if it even does but AIDS patients say in five to ten
minutes Marijuana works (200- 01) Candidasis another major symptom commonly
known as thrush, is a yeast infection that grows in the mouth and throat and
causes severe pain (Caulfield and Goldberg 80). It grows when the immune
system is severely damage for example if a person has AIDS (80). There are
some treatments for Candidiasis. They are tea tree oil which is an extract of
a tree native to Australia it was tired and it works for mucusal fungal
infections (82). The mixture is gargled (82). Pau D’Arco also known as Taheebo
and Ipi Roxo is an extract from the bark of a South American tree used for
centuries (81). It has anti fungal properties (81). Garlic works for all but
two candidiasis strings (81). It also prevents other cancers (81).
Gamma-Linoleic Acid (OLA) is an essential fatty acid often extracted from
evening primrose flowers (82). It helps prevent Candidiasis from becoming
systematically invasive (82). Lactobacillus helps maintain the balance of
fungus and bacteria in the intestinal tract (82). Biotin is a B-vitamin that
treats thrush infections (82). Dieting helps because Candidiasis feeds on
sugar and over processed carbohydrates Education is important in
preventing AIDS. Teachers of all grade levels need to have the same knowledge
to handle questions that arise in class, in case there are any students with
AIDS they will be able to talk to them about AIDS (Quackenbush and Nelson
167). The Centers for Disease Control recommends that teachers need to be
trained, communities need to be involved and classroom time needs to
be provided for AIDS education (166) Educators are anxious about their role
and responsibility, especially since education is the biggest deterrent to
AIDS (165-66). Teachers recognize the importance p.6 of
education to stop the spread of all diseases especially AIDS, but since AIDS
education requires to talk about sexuality and drugs that makes some
administrators feel uneasy (165-66) Some critics think that AIDS education
programs are not good for our youth and that abstinence is the only way to
prevent AIDS (Leon et. Al.,203). People also think teaching children about
condoms and distributing them is the wrong approach (202). Home education
about AIDS is also extremely important (Quackenbush, and Nelson 106). “Aids
brings up many questions related to personal values, and children learn values
most powerfully and effectively from their parents” (106). Schools or other
organizations providing AIDS programs can help parents learn how to talk to
their kids about AIDS (107). “Parents can not control their children’s
behavior, but they can help protect them through education”(106) Most
parents have a hard time talking about sex, and drugs to their children but
such matters come up in discussing about AIDS with your child (106). The
National PTA offers the following recommendations to parents embarking on this
task: the first and most important step is for the parent to start talking
(106). Provide and discuss information that kids will understand. Learn
accurate information about AIDS and teach your kids how they can get AIDS
(106). Find out what kids think they know about AIDS and correct what they
have wrong (102). Tell kids that casual contact with an AIDS patients will not
harm them (107) Teenagers face special AIDS related risks due to high
level of sexual activity and drug use (107). Teens need to know detailed facts
about AIDS (107). Teens should understand that as long as they make good
decisions and refrain from high risk behavior they can avoid AIDS (107).
Parents should also discuss modes of transmissions(107).
_Bibliography _
Duesberg, Dr. Peter. Inventing The Aids Virus. Washington, D.C. : Regnery
Publishing, Inc., 1996. Caulfield, Charles R. , and Billi Goldberg. The
Anarchist Aids Medical Formulary a Guide to Guerrilla Immunology. Berkeley,
California: North Atlantic Books, 1993. Hay, Louise L. The Aids Book Creating
a Posotive Approach. Santa Monica, California: Hay House, 1988. Clarke, Loren
K., and Malcom Potts, eds. The Aids Reader. Boston, Ma: Branden Publishing
Company, 1988. Quackenbush, Marcia, and Mary Nelson, eds. The Aids Challenge
Prevention Education For Young People. Santa Cruz, CA: Network
Publications, 1988. Leone, Bruno, et al., eds. The Aids Crisis. San Diego, CA:
Greenhaven Press, Inc., 1991. Langone, John. Aids: The Facts. Toronto, and
Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1988
Word Count: 1940
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