Sexually- Transmitted Disease: Viruses Luz Sanchez Biology 1310 University of Houston-Downtown

What is a Virus?  Book definition: infectious agent that consists of genetic information enclosed in a protein coat.  Viruses don’t do many things that living things do; they don’t eat, is not made up of cells nor produces waste.  It does replicate!  Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV)  Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)  Herpes Simplex Virus HPV Virus cannot be killed!

Beginning  HIV: Scientists found a type of chimpanzee in West Africa Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV)  Virus kills T-cells (type of white blood)  HIV-1 & HIV-2  1940s-1950s in Africa  Mid to late1970s in the U.S. Men were getting sick of Pneumonia, Cancer in LA and NY (homosexuals)  Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)  HPV: Is the oldest human virus & the most common sexually transmitted virus. Its been around since dinosaurs roamed.  Genital warts  Herpes: Its thought that HSV came from the Greeks. In 1893 people starting to see an outbreak but research didn’t begin until the twenty century.  “to creep or crawl”  HSV-1 & HSV-2

Risks/Effects Individually  Herpes: Oral herpes (cold sores-1) Genital herpes-2  Not as severe  HIV: Virus attacks immune system.  Become one of the worlds most serious health problems.  HPV: Abnormal cell changes.  Least severe unless reached cervical cancer for woman All together  HIV & Herpes: Weakened immune systems.  HIV & HPV: Cancer.  Herpes & HPV: Spreads as easily as skin- to-skin contact: genital warts

Social Life  HPV: There is going to be hard times with your partner. Skin contact is an issue.  Herpes: Can be accommodated with your partner since its outbreaks.  HIV: Many conflicts not only with partner but with family members too.  Family has to be suportive.

Treatments/Prevention  HIV treatment: the use of combination antiretroviral therapy & medications. Also AIDS medication.  Condoms, testing, blood safety, sex partners, male circumcision.  Herpes: The goal is to reduce the number of outbreaks & lessen symptoms when an outbreak happens. Antiviral medication. (abreva) Lysine, Propolis, and Zinc.  -1: Avoid kissing, wash hands, don’t share personal items, reduce stress, sunscreen.  -2: Avoid sex & touching the sores, condoms & sex partners.  HPV: The infections are harmless so they do not require treatment. Treatment for abnormal cells changes in the cervix.

Research  No cure.  Vaccines are being researched for HIV.  Experimentation drug for Herpes.  New research being done to perfect the HPV vaccine for men and women.

WORKS Cited   Hoefnagels, Marie ̈ lle. Biology: The Essentials. New York, NY: McGraw- Hill, Print.   "The Global HIV/AIDS Epidemic « » The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation." The Global HIV/AIDS Epidemic. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Apr   "Where Did HIV Come From?" The AIDS Institute. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Apr   "Herpes Simplex Virus." University of Maryland Medical Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Apr   "Human Papillomavirus (HPV)." - Virus & Cervical Cancer. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Apr