Epidemiology is the scientific study of how frequently diseases occur in different groups of people and why. It is based on two fundamental assumptions. Firstly, it assumes the occurrence of the disease is not random because several factors concomitantly influence the likelihood of developing the disease (Stover et al., 2021). Further, it assumes the study of populations facilitates the recognition of the causes and preventive factors analogous with the disease. Communicable diseases refer to infectious diseases caused by different microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungus, and parasites that can be spread directly or indirectly from one individual to another. Many infectious diseases can be transmitted via bites from insects, while others are caused by ingesting contaminated substances such as food or fluids. Although several infectious diseases pose serious health risks to communities, HIV can never be underestimated. The purpose of this paper is to discuss HIV and apply epidemiology and nursing research concepts to this communicable disease.
Description of HIV as Chosen Communicable Disease
HIV is a retrovirus that destroys cells of the human immune system (mainly CD4-positive T-cells and macrophages), which are the cellular immune system’s critical components, and kills or impairs their role. Infection with this virus results from the progressive depletion of the immune system, leading to immunodeficiency (UNAIDS, 2021). The Human Immunodeficiency Virus comprises two strands of RNA, 15 types of viral proteins, and a few proteins from the last host cell it infected, all surrounded by a lipid bilayer membrane. There are two categories of HIV, HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 can be found worldwide, but HIV-2 is almost exclusively limited to West Africa. HIV-1 is transmitted more easily than HIV-2(UNAIDS, 2021). The advanced level of HIV infection is acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). AIDS is determined by developing certain malignancies, conditions, or other acute continuing clinical indications. HIV-1 infection progresses more rapidly to AIDS compared to HIV-2.
Causes of HIV
A virus causes HIV through sexual contact or blood. In addition, transmission can occur from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding. When the virus enters the blood, it destroys the white cells that provide the body with the ability to fight infections and disease (UNAIDS, 2021).
Symptoms
The symptom of HIV varies and is determined by the phases of infection. Several people infected with HIV may manifest flu-like symptoms a few weeks after the entry of the virus. The likely symptoms at the acute stage may include fever, headache, skin rash, sore throat, and painful mouth sore. Similarly, swollen lymph glands, especially on the neck, muscle aches, joint pains, and diarrhea may manifest. In addition, the person could also manifest coughs, weight loss, and night sweats (UNAIDS, 2021). As the pathogen mutates in the blood and destroys the white cells at the symptomatic stage, the following symptoms may manifest Pneumonia, herpes zoster, thrush or oral yeast infection, fatigue, and fever. Furthermore, when the virus progresses to the stage of AIDS, the mentioned symptoms would manifest to be persistent and severe (UNAIDS, 2021).
Mode of Transmission
The predominant mode of HIV transmission is through unprotected sexual contact with an infected partner. In addition, exposure of broken skin or wound to infected blood or body fluids. Similarly, transfusion with HIV-infected blood is another avenue for transmission (Stover et al., 2021). Moreover, when an individual is injected with contaminated objects like needles and unsterilized syringes or razorblades, the virus is likely to be transmitted. Furthermore, transmission can also occur from mother to child during pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding (UNAIDS, 2021).
Complications
People infected with HIV who do not get proper treatment for HIV/AIDS develop a wasting syndrome accompanied by diarrhea, fever, and chronic weakness. In addition, individuals are likely to develop neurological complications as the virus reduces mental functioning. The difficulty includes kidney disease, such as the inflammation of kidney filters that remove excess fluid and waste from the blood to the urine. Similarly, there is the liver complication (UNAIDS, 2021).The other common infectious complications related to or due to HIV comprise Pneumonia that causes severe illness. The difficulty of thrush or candidiasis causes inflammation on various body parts, i.e., the mouth, tongue, and esophagus. Similarly, the other problematic condition is Tuberculosis, especially in developing countries(Mahy et al., 2021).
Treatment
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