Aids Essays (1426 words) - HIVAIDS, HIV, Free Essays, Term Papers

Aids Essays (1426 words) - HIVAIDS, HIV, Free Essays, Term Papers Aids Aids by sean ross How is HIV Diagnosed? You can get tested for HIV in a number of locations including public clinics, AIDS organizations, physicians' offices, and hospitals. Many locations give the test for free. You can choose between anonymous tests, in which you do not give your name to the HealthCare provider, or confidential tests, in which you do give your name. Test sites should provide trained counselors who can offer you support and guidance, no matter what the test result.(Balch-97) An HIV test looks for the antibodies your immune system creates in response to the virus. These antibodies may not appear in your blood until three to six months after HIV infection. Therefore, a negative test for HIV does not necessarily mean you aren't infected. That's why if you are at risk for HIV infection you should get tested periodically in addition to practicing safer sex at all times. T-cell counts If you test HIV-positive, you should have frequent blood tests to determine the levels of healthy T cells. These cell counts help indicate how quickly the infection is progressing and which course of treatment is best. Normal T-cell count is 800 to 1,300 cells per cubic millimeter of blood. In the first few months after HIV infection, T-cells may decrease to 400 to 650. As infection progresses, T cells drop to a second level of 200 to 499. At this stage you can expect to have late symptoms, although this too is variable. The most life-threatening AIDS illnesses happen when T-cell levels fall below 200.(Berkow-97) Early Symptoms Once HIV enters your body through semen, vaginal secretions, blood, or human breast milk it generally takes a month or two before creating symptoms, if any (not everyone has symptoms at this stage). These initial symptoms are similar to the flu and can last three to 14 days: -Fever -Chills -Night sweats -Skin rashes -Headache -Malaise -Swollen lymph nodes (immune system organs easily felt in the neck and groin) -General discomfort(Hurst-96) Within the several months following HIV infection, you may have repeated episodes of these flu-like symptoms. After that, an average period of five to seven years will pass without another sign of HIV infection though that delay can range from a few months to more than 10 years. However, even when you don't have symptoms, the virus is still multiplying in your body, and you can spread it to other people.(Tierny-98) Later symptoms (months to years before onset of AIDS) Symptoms may include: -Fatigue -Mild weight loss -Frequent fevers and sweats -Swollen lymph glands -Persistent yeast infections -Persistent skin rashes -Pelvic inflammatory disease that does not -respond to treatment -Short term memory loss -Frequent and severe herpes infections causing mouth, genital or anal sores -Painful nerve disease (shingles) At this stage, you may have other disorders resulting from HIV infection: severe dermatitis, personality changes, intellectual impairment, peripheral neuritis (inflammation of one or more peripheral nerves), pneumonia, myocarditis (inflammation of the middle muscular layer of the heart wall), nephritis (kidney inflammation), and arthritis. (Taylor-98) AIDS As chronic HIV progresses, the immune system grows weaker and weaker until it can no longer prevent diseases and/or opportunistic infections those that would not usually happen in a person with a normal immune system). These include: Pneumonia caused by Pneumocystis carinii HIV infection of the brain (encephalitis with dementia) Toxoplasmosis of the brain (a protozoan infection) Cryptococcosis infection (a fungal infection) HIV wasting syndrome (chronically active HIV infection) Candida (yeast infections of the vagina, mouth, esophagus, trachea, bronchial tubes, or lungs) Kaposi's sarcoma (a form of skin cancer) Tuberculosis and related infections Cryptosporidiosis infection of the intestine (a protozoan infection) Herpes simplex virus infections of mouth, esophagus, and lungs Lymphoma (a cancer of the immune system) Cytomegalovirus infections of the retina and other organs(HIV positive.com) Conditions That May Be Mistaken for HIV and AIDS HIV and AIDS may involve virtually every organ in the body. Therefore, many conditions can be mistaken for HIV/AIDS, including: Cancer, especially lymphoma (causing malnutrition or weight loss) Senile dementia Gastrointestinal infection (especially parasitic) Colitis Inflammatory bowel disease Depression. Causes The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes AIDS. HIV not only attacks and destroys the white blood cells that are key to fighting infection (T4 or helper T cells), it actually uses the T cell's genetic material to multiply itself. Eventually, HIV cripples the immune system, making the infected person vulnerable to multiple

Defining Permafrost

Defining Permafrost Permafrost is any soil or rock that remains frozen (below 32 F) throughout the year. For a soil to be considered permafrost, it must be frozen for at least two consecutive years or longer. Permafrost can be found in cold climates where the mean annual temperature is less than the freezing point of water. Such climates are found near the North and South poles and in some alpine regions. Soils in Warmer Temperatures Some soils in areas that experience warmer temperatures thaw for a short time during warmer months. The thawing is restricted to the top layer of soil and a permafrost layer remains frozen several inches below the surface. In such areas, the top layer of soil (known as the active layer) warms up enough to enable plants to grow during the summer. The permafrost that lies below the active layer traps water close to the soils surface, making it quite soggy. The permafrost ensures a cool soil temperature, slow plant growth, and slow decomposition. Permafrost Habitats Several soil formations are associated with permafrost habitats. These include polygons, pintos, solifluction, and thermokarst slumping. Polygon soil formations are tundra soils that form geometric shapes (or polygons) and are most noticeable from the air. The polygons form as the soil contracts, cracks, and collects water trapped by the permafrost layer. Pingo Soil Pingo soil formations form when the permafrost layer traps a large amount of water in the soil. When the water freezes, it expands and pushes the saturated earth upward into a large mound or pingo. Solifluction Solifluction is a soil formation process that occurs when thawed soils slide down a slope over the permafrost layer. When this happens, the soils form rippled, wave patterns. When Thermokarst Slumping Occurs Thermokarst slumping occurs in areas that have been cleared of vegetation, usually due to human disturbance and land use. Such disturbance leads to the melting of the permafrost layer and as a result the ground collapses or slumps.