Pathogen Card Assignment: AIDS

Hannah Johnson
Research your assigned pathogen for the following information:

1. Type of pathogen & brief description (bacteria, virus,

fungi, protist)
HIV is a virus. Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is
the last stages of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). AIDS
does not kill you itself but it weakens the immune system
which allows other diseases to easily kill you.

2. How is it transmitted?
HIV is transmitted by sexual contact with someone infected.
This includes anal, oral, and vaginal contact. It can also spread
from blood and using needles an infected person has used.
Mothers can infect their infants during birth or through breast
feeding.

3. Is there a part of the body it specifically attacks? If so,

which part?
HIV/AIDS attacks the immune system. It weakens it making
people more susceptible to other diseases.

4. What is an incubation period? What is the incubation

period for your pathogen?
An incubation period is the period between exposure to an
infection and the appearance of the first symptoms. The
incubation period for AIDS ranges from a few weeks to ten
years. It depends on how rapidly HIV progresses and if it is
being treated or not.

5. What disease does it cause? What are the symptoms of

the infection?
Some symptoms of both HIV and AIDS are pain in the
abdomen, pain while swallowing, dry cough, fatigue, fever, loss
of appetite, malaise, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, mouth ulcers,
groin sores or swelling, difficulty swallowing or soreness and
some other uncomfortable symptoms.

What is the duration of the illness?

HIV, once it is contracted last a lifetime. It can be treated so
you do not get into the stages of AIDS. But if you were to
develop AIDS it would ultimately kill you. The duration of AIDS
varies on how quick you get sick and die from your weakened
immune system.

6. What is virulence? How virulent is your pathogen? How

deadly?
The degree of pathogenicity within a group or species of
parasites as indicated by case fatality rates and/or the ability
of the organism to invade the tissues of the host. HIV has
become more virulent over time. Over 37 million people are
infected with HIV and in 2014 AIDS caused 1.2 million deaths.

7. Is there a vaccine for your pathogen? If so, who

discovered it, and when? Can the vaccine be taken even after
the infection?
There is no cure but there is treatment for HIV. Jerome P.
Horwitz thought he had found the cure to cancer but actually
created the medicine to treat HIV so it doesnt progress to
AIDS. He discovered it in the 1960s. The medicine is used to
prevent HIV to form into AIDS, but doesnt cure you. It can be
taken even after you contract HIV but doesnt do anything for
you if you have AIDS.

8. What behaviors will help someone to avoid infection by

your pathogen?
If you are having sexual contact, whether it is oral, anal, or
vaginal (without condom) make sure your partner does not
have the virus. Also if you are involved in drugs (even though
they are highly dangerous) do not use/share needles with
someone you arent sure is clear of HIV/AIDS.

9. If you are infected, what is the treatment, if any?

There is medicine you can take that will prevent HIV
progressing to the stages of AIDS, which is deadly. But that is
the only treatment other than prevention in the first place.