Speculative Causes Of The Spread Of Aids

It is undeniable that AIDS and other STDs have spread faster than wildfire throughout the world. Since the late 70's, almost every continent has somehow dealt with or seen the effects of the sexually transmitted virus. Lack of health care, money, and education hinder the healing process in Sub-Saharan Africa, drugs and the acceptance of homosexuality has affected AIDS in North America, and the poverty and disparity of people in China has the country scrambling to heal their wounds. There are millions of people worldwide who try to help stop the spread of this disease by contributing to charities that, in turn, pay for the medication for those affected with the virus. However, it is never enough, as there is no known cure and the inflicted population grows higher by the minute. What else can we do while others are dying?

AIDS, abbreviating Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, is an epidemic of global proportions. This disease is an advanced form of HIV (human immunodeficiency), which gradually breaks down and destroys the immune system, leaving the body extremely susceptible to illness and unable to defend itself. Typical symptoms of AIDS include, but are not limited to, fevers, aches, weight loss, and chills. Commonly transmitted through sexual intercourse, whether homosexual or heterosexual, it can also be contracted by shared needles. The virus may also be obtained by mixing semen into the bloodstream. Although the origins of this disease are unclear, researches believe that it could have derived from chimpanzees in Africa. There is no known cure as of yet (CNN).

Over the past thirty years, over 47 million have been infected with AIDs and nearly 17 million have died as of December, 1998 (PBS, Nova Online). With 22.5 million of those stricken with the virus, the Sub-Saharan region of Africa is the center of activity in regards to the growing AIDS epidemic (PBS, Nova Online). In the province of South Africa alone, 4.2 million people including 42 thousand children have AIDS. Nearly 250,000 citizens in this region die every year from the disease (TIME). Africa however is not the only place stricken with the virus. Much closer to home, 890,000 people in North America have AIDS. Worldwide, according to statistics from PBS in 2000, 33.4 millions have the disease.

The entire world is suffering both physically and economically. Not only is the population dwindling with AIDS related deaths, but it is also hurting many countries, specifically in Sub-Sahara Africa. According to a CNN article published in 2000, it is estimated that income per capita in that region has declined by 20 percent since the epidemic began. The companies are in distress as well - quadrupling health insurance costs and even escalating company health costs in Botswana by 500% (CNN).

But how did this disease spread so quickly? How did the affected population go from a small group of people to a worldwide epidemic? How do we explain this phenomenon? There are many theories when it comes to this subject and many of them have are very valid. The disease is thought to have derived in Africa and spread elsewhere from there. Since the 70's, the approximate time that the spread began, major leeway was made in world travel. Commercial airlines began to be more prominent and aircraft technology increased, resulting in more international flights to even more countries. There was also an increased amount of people visiting their destinations via boat and automobile, etc.... Thus the extra people coming to the affected regions, such as Sub-Saharan Africa, raises the likelihood that a visitor could contract the virus from those who live there. In addition, when the visitors return to their home countries, it is extremely likely to spread in that region as well.

In recent years, many people believe that the spread of AIDS has come with liberalism and the acceptance of homosexuality, especially in North America. With the homosexual population of San Francisco at nearly 10%, the AIDS virus is very prominent in certain parts of the city. Many of these people do not get tested as often as they should or do not always use protection during sexual activities. This produces a trend to spread the disease unto others, unknowingly contributing to the epidemic at hand. Not only are homosexuals adding to the AIDS statistics, but so are needles (PBS, Nova Online). Unsterilized needles can transmit many diseases including AIDS, because it is a blood-based virus. The majority of these types of transmissions are by drug users (generally shooting methamphetamines or cocaine) or unlicensed tattoo artists who do not sterilize their needles properly from person to person. The greater part of this type of transmission is in large cities or crime-ridden areas. However, the spread of AIDS is not just through homosexual activity and needles, as much as many people would like to use homosexuals and drug users as scapegoats. Within the growing African population with AIDS, almost all of the transmission is through heterosexual intercourse (PBS, Nova Online). In North America, for the most part, transmission of the virus is through homosexual activity and needles. Thus, the spread is unique to the region it is affecting, although it was originally spread to the region from Africa.

One of the best conclusive reasons for the burning question as to why AIDS has spread so massively is the silence of the virus. This silence is global and does not pertain to one certain area. When one acquires HIV, the predecessor that develops into full-blown AIDS, they may not even know it. The carrier can spread it before he or she even knows that they are sick. The afflicted commonly develop an illness very similar to the flu about two to six weeks subsequent to initial infection (CNN). From there the symptoms are similar to other sicknesses and one must be tested in order to know they have AIDS (CNN). The largest AIDS infected population is in Sub-Saharan Africa, where there is a lack of money, health care, and education. Out of the 47 million people worldwide who had contracted AIDS by 1998, 22 million of them were living in this region alone (PBS, Nova Online). Without proper education and health care, AIDS is bound to spread even more rapidly than it already is in the area.

Taking a closer look at Sub-Saharan Africa, there are three major necessities that the region lacks. First, the lack of money equates to a lack health care funding, which in turn results in a lack of medicine. Fewer people are getting the medicine they need to keep them alive and hopefully give birth to a healthy baby, rather than a baby with AIDS (PBS). Even with all of the charity sent from many other countries including the United States, whom also donates an average of 200 million dollars per year on vaccine research for AIDS (PBS, Nova