The Plague: HIV By Jose Hotema

Remember that crazy party you went to? Maybe not? As American teens attend college, they face many recreational opportunities that allow them to explore themselves and their boundaries.

Many teens experiment with new groups of people, classes, and of course—sex and drugs (Sex and HIV Education Programs). It is assumed that those who are attending an institution of intellect, will be the most rational. However, if there are two things that have the power to make people irrational, is an erection, and an addiction. HIV is usually spread due to a number of factors, but in most cases unsafe practices of sex and drug usage are the highest contributors (The Science of HIV and AIDS).

The most accepted theory on the origin of HIV is that it stemmed from African chimpanzees. In 1999, a strain of SIV was discovered in a chimpanzee that was almost exactly the same to the HIV in humans. The researchers who discovered this connection concluded that it proved chimpanzees were the source of HIV-1, and that the virus had at some point mutated to affect humans. The same scientists then conducted more research and found that as a result of chimps being killed and eaten by human hunters, disease was able to infect humans around 1920 in Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo (The Science of HIV and AIDS). The area around Kinshasa was full of transport connections, such as roads, railways and rivers. It also had a growing sex and drug trade around this time. The high population of migrants and sex trafficking depicts how HIV was able to spread along these routes of commerce into cities like Brazzaville by 1937. Also, the lack of transport routes into the North and East of the country explain the significantly fewer reports of HIV in those areas at the time (Stone). By 1980, half of all infections in the Democratic Republic of Congo, were in locations outside of the Kinshasa area, reflecting the growing epidemic (The Science of HIV).
            Scientists tell us that the AIDS virus is not, in the strictest sense, a form of life. Until it infects a host body, it is no more alive than a pebble. It is a protein encoded mass of genetic instructions, and 150 times smaller than the white blood cell it attacks (Stone). After penetrating the white blood cell it multiplies inside of it, which ultimately leads to the cell dying and releasing even more viruses upon burst. This repeats cell by cell until the virus eradicates its host’s immune system (Stone). Untreated, the person carrying the virus becomes ill with a series of infections that are progressively serious and rare, and eventually—fatal (The Science of HIV).

People sometimes argue that HIV originated in the 1980s in the United States of America (USA). However, this was when people were just beginning to become aware of HIV, and officially recognized as a new health condition by the CDC (HIV/AIDS). In 1981, the first signs of HIV came in as few cases of rare infections and diseases reported among gay men. No one knew why these infections were spreading, but that it must have been an infectious 'disease' causing them. The initial cases were a mystery to doctors across America due to the fact that almost out of thin air,  previously young and  healthy  gay men, were arriving to the doctors office with many strange symptoms such as shortness of breath and strong fevers (The Science of HIV). These symptoms were those of a rare and fatal version of pneumonia called Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP). Doctor’s noticed that this type of pneumonia had only been previously been reported on patients with problems in their immune system. Then, more cases of this infection began being reported by gay men across the United States. At first the disease was called all sorts of names relating to the word ‘gay' (Fife). It wasn't until mid-1982 that it was realized the 'disease' was also spreading among other populations such as hemophiliacs and heroin users. By September of 1982, the disease was finally named AIDS (Ogden). By the time the first cases of AIDS were reported in the United States were diagnosed, more than 250,000 Americans were already infected, and by the time the first diagnosis were found in Africa, millions of people there were already infected as well.

The AIDS epidemic had begun during the first months of the Reagan administration, which had entered with the mandate to cut taxes and reduce government. This had a negative affect on the possibilities of slowing down the disease or creating drugs against it. The budget cuts across the government made it difficult to finance research and facilities for the AIDS epidemic. At the CDC, their efforts had also been severely been damaged by the cuts in funding that the Reagan administration (The Science of HIV).

People were neglectful of not only the people infected with AIDS, but also to the disease itself. No one wanted to be associated with a disease nicknamed “Gay Man’s Disease” due to the negative social effects it could bring to those infected and this around it. The social stigma that came with HIV caused tension in the American public and even political figures were reluctant to face these moral dilemmas. In fact, many Americans associated the virus with homosexuality and claimed it was God’s punishment on the Gay (Parker). It wasn't until half of the patients infected with HIV were women, that people started thinking that HIV was a serious threat to the general population. With no drugs to treat the disease, the AIDS virus was nearly 100% fatal, and the resulting panic created a backlash of blame and anti-gay violence.

No one wanted to take care of the issue. Even hospitals routinely turned away dying patients. Fighting for their lives, patients and their advocates soon started taking matters into their own hands (Parker). On November 11, 1987, the gay community marched to Washington in protest against the immense level of neglect that gay citizens were receiving from Hospitals, police departments, and even the government itself (Parker). Jim Eigo, from the Treatment Issues Committee of Act Up, presented many issues with the treatment received by those diagnosed with HIV. He reported, “Municipal Hospitals are totally falling apart. More than half the people that get diagnosed with AIDS or HIV today, get diagnosed in the emergency rooms of our city. Then, you’re going to find yourself waiting four days in an emergency room before you even get a bed.”

The march was able to bring awareness to the American public of the unjust treatment for those diagnosed with AIDS and HIV. It also created much needed reform on the laws dealing with medical establishment. Soon after the March, various cities across the United States declared a state of emergency and began raising funds towards research for treatment and cure of HIV. This March sent a message not only to public officials, but also to closeted victims of HIV to come out and join the fight against the infectious disease.

Today, while there still isn't a cure, there are many treatments that allow people who are diagnosed with HIV to live long and healthy lives. HIV is no longer a death sentence, but instead more of chronic disease. People living with HIV today can expect to live two decades more than those who were diagnosed back in the 1980s. HIV is treated using a combination of medicines to fight HIV infection called antiretroviral therapy (ART). The antiretroviral therapy is a medical innovation that has allowed people living with HIV to have a normal life, while simultaneously preventing the spread of the virus (Stone). Unfortunately ART isn’t a cure, but it can control the virus so that people diagnosed with HIV can live a longer, healthier lives and reduce the risk of transmitting HIV to others. ART is a combination of HIV medicines (called an HIV regimen) every day, exactly as prescribed. These HIV medicines prevent HIV from multiplying, and as a result it reduces the amount of HIV in the body (Hughes). Less HIV in the body means that the immune system is given a chance to recover and fight off infections and cancers (The Science of HIV). While there will always be some HIV left in the body, the immune system becomes better capable of fighting off infections and cancers. Reducing the amount of HIV in the human body, also has a positive effect on reducing the risk of transmission (Hughes).  “ART is recommended for all people with HIV, regardless of how long they’ve had the virus or how healthy they are. If left untreated, HIV will attack the immune system and eventually progress to AIDS.” (Science Of HIV)

While HIV has been greatly reduced, there is still a lot of misconception of what the disease is, and the stigma that is still present in America. In the recent years, a new wave of HIV has been creating panic. The highest levels of drug usage and unhealthy sex practices have now shifted from the streets and ghettos to some of the most respectable institutions of intellect—universities (Mattison). Up to 70 percent of university students admit to getting into sexual situations as a result of being under the influence of alcohol, or to having sex that they wouldn't have had if they were sober.1 in 5 university students don't use condoms or dams when having sex under the influence of alcohol or other drugs (Hughes). Some don’t even protect themselves when they're sober! “Having sex while intoxicated reduces the person’s ability to remember to use condoms, use condoms effectively, and also their ability to get informed consent from their sexual partner/s. This can put you at risk of sexually transmitted infections, unplanned pregnancy or being involved in sexual violence” (Sex and HIV Education).

The HIV epidemic is a prime example of the themes presented in The Plague by Albert Camus. In the book, the people Oran have extremely repetitive lives who are neglectful of the initial signs of the plague. Due to the stigma surrounding the HIV virus, a large majority of the American public believed themselves not able to become affected by HIV. Even when serious attempts to reduce the cases of HIV, many people believed themselves incapable of getting the disease. Even advertisements promoting safer sex and drug practices were not enough to convince the public of the danger HIV posed to society. Eventually, the negative effects of HIV were felt across the nation due to their ability to act.
            We as humans reject any notion of danger even when its right in front of our faces simply because we do not want to step out of our normal routine. In fact, this is apparent in my life because it is not until things start to get out of hand, that people begin to panic. Whether it is dealing with a growing epidemic, or a rise in drug addictions, or sex trafficking, people only seem to become aware of the problem whenever it affects them or someone close to them. This is an example of absurdity because it should not take a relative or someone close to us, or  even our own safety to come into danger for us to realize the problems facing the world today.
            In my generation, everything is faster, easier, and more connected, but we seem to have been affected by a plague that takes away our empathy for one another, humility, and patience. Camus claims that we are out of balance with the "harmony of the day" in the sense that we are We are plagued with a love for all that is superficial, instead of that which cannot be seen by the eyes. The HIV epidemic showed us just how cruel humans can be to one another when things get tough. When more than just homosexuals and heroin users bang being affected, people began to panic. As a result Anti-gay rallies led to violence and prejudice whenever people started looking for someone to blame. This just further shows how survival makes the line between animal and human a very slippery slope. It also exposed the low level of tolerance humans can have and how quick we are to judge others. Even today, women are sexualized because of their looks instead of revered because of their accomplishments, where the image of good people are deteriorated by the color of their skin and their country of origin, and a person's ingenuity and innovation can be overshadowed by their sexual orientation. It seems Camus idea that we are committing spirit suicide is right, our priorities truly are out of balance and our happiness is based on the wrong things.

The HIV epidemic has become a symbol of pain, sadness, and inhumanity for many of those who were affected by it. There is still no absolute cure for HIV and it is extremely difficult for the people who are most at risk of getting HIV to even afford the treatment. We know that the world is senseless and indifferent to human suffering, filled with often unceasing and torturous moments. We know that even if we attempt to get rid of HIV around the world, we will never be truly successful. We also all know that in the end, we are all going to die. Why even bother if it won't matter in the end? However, as humans we always aim to make something of ourselves and aim to leave a better world than the one we first encountered. We are all afraid to die, but death is  also the single best motivator a human can have. The thought of dying reminds us that we should fight against suffering despite the odds and knowing that it is a battle that we will always lose. The world may be a crumby place, and have a hard time connecting with those who don't share similar beliefs. Despite the odds, it does not mean we can’t connect to each other in incredibly personal ways every single day. Language and cultural barriers should not keep us from taking a stab at understanding the suffering of others, then doing something about it. As "absurd" as it seems, we simply cannot accept the thought of laying in our deathbed with all of ours hopes, dreams, and aspirations leaving this earth with without being set in motion. We must implement the ideas of absurdist writer Dylan Thomas and, “Rage, rage against the dying of the light”

Works Cited

"HIV/AIDS." How Is AIDS Different from HIV? Office on Women’s Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1 July 2011. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.< http://www.womenshealth.gov/hiv-aids/what-is-hiv-aids/how-is-aids-different-from-hiv.html>.

"The Science of HIV and AIDS - Overview | AVERT." The Science of HIV and AIDS - Overview | AVERT. AVERT 1986 - 2016, 1 May 2015. Web. 18 Feb. 2016.
<http://www.avert.org/professionals/hiv-science/overview>.

Scholarly Articles

Fife, Betsy L., and Eric R. Wright. "The dimensionality of stigma: A comparison of its impact on the self of persons with HIV/AIDS and cancer." Journal of health and social behavior (2000): 50-67.

Hughes, Rhidian. "Considering the vignette technique and its application to a study of drug injecting and HIV risk and safer behaviour." Sociology of Health & Illness 20.3 (1998): 381-400.

Kirby, Douglas B., B.a. Laris, and Lori A. Rolleri. "Sex and HIV Education Programs: Their Impact on Sexual Behaviors of Young People Throughout the World." Journal of Adolescent Health 40.3 (2007): 206-17. Web.

Mattison, Andrew M., Michael W. Ross, Tanya Wolfson, and Donald Franklin. "Circuit Party Attendance, Club Drug Use, and Unsafe Sex in Gay Men." Journal of Substance Abuse 13.1-2 (2001): 119-26. Web.

Ogden, Jessica, and Laura Nyblade. "Common at its core: HIV-related stigma across contexts." (2005).

Parker, Richard, and Peter Aggleton. "HIV and AIDS-related stigma and discrimination: a conceptual framework and implications for action." Social science & medicine 57.1 (2003): 13-24.

Stone, Cosby A., Kosuke Kawai, Roland Kupka, and Wafaie W. Fawzi. "The Role of Selenium in HIV Infection Cosby A Stone, Kosuke Kawai, Roland Kupka, Wafaie W Fawzi Harvard School of Public Health." Nutrition Reviews. U.S. National Library of Medicine. Web. 01 Mar. 2016.< https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3066516/#S7title>.