Each year, December 1 is observed as World AIDS Day. More than 25 million people have been killed by AIDS between 1981 and 2007, and as of 2007, an estimated 33 million people worldwide live with HIV. It is one of the most destructive epidemics in recorded history. In spite of the recent improvements in the antiretroviral treatment and care, the AIDS epidemic has claimed about 2 million lives in 2007, out of which about 270,000 were children.
In the 1988 World Summit of Ministers of Health on Programmes of AIDS prevention, the concept of a World AIDS Day was formulated. Since then, December 1, every year is being observed by the governments, international organizations and charities around the world as World AIDS Day. This day is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection.
UNAIDS that was established in 2004, UNAIDS has led the World AIDS Day campaign around the world. UNAIDS chooses annual themes after consulting with other global health organizations. This responsibility was handed over to World AIDS Campaign (WAC) in the year 2005, who chose Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise is the main theme for World AIDS Day observances till 2010, with more specific sub-taglines chosen annually.
This year the theme is Keep the Promise: Lead - Empower - Deliver. This theme is used year-round in WAC's efforts to highlight HIV/AIDS awareness and is not just specific to World AIDS Day. Many “in country” campaigns are also conducted by World AIDS Campaign, like the Student Stop AIDS Campaign, which was an infection-awareness campaign that targeted young people throughout the UK.Memorials are held on this day to honor persons who have died from HIV/AIDS. Many programmes are conducted by the Government and health officials, often with speeches or forums on the AIDS topics, to observe World AIDS Day.
According to a mathematical model, the AIDS virus can be eliminated by 99% in about a decade. More on this can be found by reading a research article by Tomás Revillaa and Gisela García-Ramos.
Abstract:
A mathematical model examined a potential therapy for controlling viral infections using genetically modified viruses. The control of the infection is an indirect effect of the selective elimination by an engineered virus of infected cells that are the source of the pathogens. Therefore, this engineered virus could greatly compensate for a dysfunctional immune system compromised by AIDS. In vitro studies using engineered viruses have been shown to decrease the HIV-1 load about 1000-fold. However, the efficacy of this potential treatment for reducing the viral load in AIDS patients is unknown. The present model studied the interactions among the HIV-1 virus, its main host cell (activated CD4+ T cells), and a therapeutic engineered virus in an in vivo context; and it examined the conditions for controlling the pathogen. This model predicted a significant drop in the HIV-1 load, but the treatment does not eradicate HIV. A basic estimation using a currently engineered virus indicated an HIV-1 load reduction of 92% and a recovery of host cells to 17% of their normal level. Greater success (98% HIV reduction, 44% host cells recovery) is expected as more competent engineered viruses are designed. These results suggest that therapy using viruses could be an alternative to extend the survival of AIDS patients.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment