HIV

Welcome to Natural Science Unit, School of General Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.  The topic of this lecture is HIV/HIDS: Treat to Human Society.

Discovered in early 80s, Human immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a retrovirus identified as the causative agent of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). AIDS is a disorder of  the immune system which is characterized by marked reduction in the population of T-cell lymphocytes which are very crucial in maintaining immunity against diseases. The major routes of transmission are sexual contact, contamination of blood or blood products and mother-to-new born transmission.

¨The first case of AIDS in Nigeria was reported in 1986 thus establishing the presence of the epidemic in the country. Consequently, Nigerian government adopted Antenatal sentinel surveillance as the system for assessing the epidemic. Currently¨Nigeria still has the 2nd  highest HIV/AIDS burden in the world, according to WHO report, 2015

 Based on projected HIV estimates for 2014,  ≈3,391,546 are living with HIV in Nigeria while it is estimated that 227,518 new HIV infections occurred in 2014 (male 103,917 and female 123,601). Nigeria has  a record of 174,253 notified cases of death secondary to AIDS related diseases in 2014.