CHAPTER ONE

1.1       Introduction

Human being is a biopsycho-social adaptive being in constant interaction with his environment

which could be internal or external (Roy, 1970; Matt, 2014). He is made up of subsystems which

include biological subsystem, psychological subsystem and social subsystem. The biological

subsystems consist of respiratory, reproductive, endocrine, cardiovascular, and immunological,

among others. several diseases can affect the subsystems of whichHuman Immunodeficiency

Virus infection and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is one which affect the

immunological, psychological and social subsystems.

Human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome

(HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency

virus (Kramer, Kretzschmar and Krickeberg, 2010), and they further stated that AIDS was first

clinically observed in 1981 in the United States. The initial cases were seen in a cluster of

injecting drug users and homosexual men who showed symptoms of Pneumocystis carinii

pneumonia (PCP), a rare opportunistic infection that was known to occur in people with

compromised immune systems. HIV is a retrovirus that primarily infects components of the

human immune system such as CD4+ T cells, macrophages and dendritic cells. It directly and

indirectly destroys CD4+ T cells. (Alimonti, Ball and Fowke, 2003).Human Immunodeficiency

Virus (HIV) is a member of the genusLentivirus, part of the family Retroviridae. Many species

of mammals are infected by lentiviruses, which are characteristically responsible for long term

illnesses with a longer incubation period.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) has been discovered to betransmitted by three main

routes: sexual contact, significant exposure to infected body fluids or tissues and from mother to

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child during pregnancy, delivery, or breastfeeding (known as vertical transmission) (Teheri and

Zarimoghadam, 2013; Mayor Foundation, 2016). HIV/AIDS is diagnosed using Rapid Test Kit

(RTK), laboratory testing and then staged based on the presence of certain signs or symptoms.

Most people infected with HIV develop specific antibodies within three to twelve weeks of the

initial infection (AIDS.gov, 2016; World Health Organization, 2007).

Methods of prevention include safe sex, needle exchange programmes, treating those who are

infected and male circumcision. Disease in a baby can often be prevented by giving both the

mother and child medication. There is no cure or vaccine; however, antiretroviral treatment can

slow the course of the disease and may lead to a near-normal life expectancy. Treatment is

recommended as soon as the diagnosis is made. Without treatment, the average survival time

after infection is 11 years (WHO, 2015). A 2011 trial has confirmed if an HIV-positive person

adheres to an effective ART regimen, the risk of transmitting the virus to their uninfected sexual

partner can be reduced by 96%) (WHO, 2016). The WHO recommendation to initiate ART in all

people living with HIV will contribute significantly to reducing HIV tra