AIDS-The World Wide Epidemic

Man, throughout the world, has been subject to many dreadful diseases, and science, especially medical science, has been helping him to get rid of those diseases. Medical science can claim to have eradicated smallpox from the world. It can also claim to have found an effective remedy for T.B., though it cannot, as yet, claim to have found an effective remedy for cancer. AIDS is a new worldwide dreadful disease for which medical science has yet to find an effective remedy.

Medical scientists are baffled by the recent spread of the AIDS epidemic throughout the world. This disease has created a terrible scare in the world. It has taken a heavy toll on human life in America and Europe. It is feared that the disease has entered India also, though not is an epidemic form. There had been a case of death recently in a hospital in U.P., due to AIDS. It is gratifying to note, however, that the Government of India has launched a big offensive against the deadly disease. The Indian public is being thoroughly educated about the symptoms, causes, remedies, and precautions connected with the disease.

Conclusive proof of AIDS requires the demonstration of the virus by cultures. Antibodies take 6 to 8 weeks to develop. Therefore, these tests may be performed routinely. It is detected by a simple blood test known as the ELISA test (Enzyme-Linked Immune Solvent Assay Test). When two ELISA, tests are consecutively positive, then the Western Blot test is mandatory to confirm the diagnosis.

The first AIDS patient was reported in 1979 in New York. While in India the first case was detected in 1986.

Since then the spread of HIV is increasing at a very high speed. No currently available technology can help to eliminate HIV infection from individuals with established infection. That is why it is said that AIDS cannot be cured. Only health education or primary prevention can be helpful in curing AIDS. It was estimated that India would have 5 million of HIV-infected persons out of 40 million such people all over the world by 2003 A.D.

General practitioners must be frank enough to advise on safe sex and the hazards of drug abuse. Screening of persons with high-risk behavior should be an integral part of the prevention program. In any suspicion of unsafe sex, the use of condoms must be laid stress upon, although they don't provide 100% protection. Similarly, professional blood donors must be strictly avoided. The defense against AIDS is a faithful monogamous safe sexual relationship.