HIV and South Africa

In the early 1980s, the world became aware of an epidemic, this epidemic was like nothing that seen before. Unlike the infamous bubonic plague of the 14^th century, this virus takes longer to be fatal, has very few outward signs (until the later stages), and is not carried by rats. The epidemic in question is the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). HIV is retrovirus that attacks T cells in the human immune system and can lead to Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). There are two subtypes of HIV, HIV-1, and HIV-2; HIV-2 is primarily attributed to being in Africa, while the rest of the world primarily only has HIV-1. HIV is believed to have been around since the 1930 with at least one fatality from the virus in the 1950s. There is a high concentration of the HIV-2 virus in Africa, with approximately 5.5 million people infected. The number of infected people has been attributed to several different reasons including: lack of education, cultural beliefs, and improper or non-use of protection during sexual intercourse.

In the early years of the epidemic, 1983-1987, HIV was limited to certain groups of people, mainly homosexuals, blood transfusion recipients, intravenous drug users, and hemophiliacs. It was not until 1989 that studies confirmed the virus entering into the heterosexual community. (Karim) Once the virus entered into the heterosexual community the number of infected quickly surpassed the number infected in the homosexual community. After the realization the HIV was transmitted by blood transfusions, the South African government put into place a protocol screen donated blood for the markers associated with the virus. Putting forth this protocol did not slow the overall spread of the virus, but has slowed the spread through blood transfusions. HIV is spread through the transfer of bodily fluids, this not only includes blood, but also semenal fluid, vaginal discharge, and breast milk. There has been no documentation of the virus being spread through urine, saliva or tears. Showing that the chances of someone coming in contact with the virus without performing some type of knowingly risky activity is highly unlikly.

HIV affects 1 in 5 South African adults, ages 15-49, affecting mostly young females and older males. This possibly represents the culture of South Africans, believing that older men should marry younger woman in order to guarantee the continuation of their blood line. As late as 2003 aproximatly 23% of all pregnant women in South Africa tested positive with the HIV virus, meaning several children born with the virus or acquiring the virus during or shortly after birth. Since HIV can be transferred through breast milk, children born to HIV positive mothers,even those children manage to go through the nine month gestation period without contracting the virus, have a greater risk of acquiring the virus during the time of their lives that they breastfeed. (HIV and AIDS statistics for South Africa) With the growing number of younger women being infected by the virus, it is safe to assume that there will be a growing number of small children with the virus, leading to an exponental growth of the infection rate once these children become sexually active themselves.

Early into the epidemic a lack of education about the virus, and the various ways of contracting the viruses, led to its rapid spread. Currently there are several organizations set into place to properly educate the people of South Africa on how to prevent contracting the virus. Even with the organizations in place there is still an ignorance to the virus in more rural areas of South Africa, it has been observed that subjects who are educated, both on a purely accademic level as well as directly about HIV have a better chance of not contracting the virus, and if they already have are more apt to take the precautions to prevent spreading the virus to others. This being said even after being instructed on the proper use of protection subjects in South Africa who have only been educated about the virus still tend to not use protection. (HIV and AIDS statistics for South Africa) In recent years there has been an onslaught of media related public service announcement bringing to light the prevention and facts about the HIV virus. While for the most part this publicity has helped it has also hurt in some ways. With HIV being a very prevalant virus in South Africa the carriers are generally accepted by society and not treated any differently. There is a surprising number of individuals in South Africa who, although being briefed on how to avoid contracting the disease, go to an extreme and will refuse to eat meals with someone who is HIV positive or even sleep in the same room as an HIV positive subject. Because of the media there are groups who believe that the infected should be ashamed of their HIV postive status, regardless of how they contracted the disease, and consider them to be "dirty". (Hutchinson, Mahlaela and Yukick)

The spread of HIV through sexual contact is still a common occurance in South Africa, regardless of the mass media public service announcements. As in most countries females you try to initiate condom use during sexual intercourse are generally riducled. Although it has been shown that if condoms are more readily available to the public, females are more likely to use them. For the most men the knowledge of how the virus is spread nor the availability of condomns seems to influence the use of condoms with every sexual partner. Studies have also shown that woman are more likely than me to openly discuss a positive HIV result, with friends, family and potential sexual partners. (Hutchinson, Mahlaela and Yukick) Leading to the thought that women are more conscious about the virus, or that they are more concenered with protecting themselves than men are.

It is increasingly obvious that something needs to be done in South Africa, in regards to HIV. There are already several organizations and protocols put into place to aid with halting the spread of HIV by increasing education and supplying options for South Africans to protect themselves. Removing the stigma from HIV could make it more likely for the people of the region to be more open with positive HIV results. If South Africans feel that they will not lose their social standing or be shunned by the community they may possibly be more likely to share their HIV status with friends,family and/or future sexual partners.

References

HIV and AIDS statistics for South Africa. May 2009 <http://www.avert.org/safricastats.htm>.

Hutchinson, P.L., X. Mahlaela and Josh Yukick. "MASS MEDIA, STIGMA, AND DISCLOSURE OF HIV TEST RESULTS: MULTILEVEL ANALYSIS IN THE EASTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA." AIDS Education and Prevention 19.6 (2007): 489-510.

Karim, S.S. Abdool. HIV/AIDS in South Africa. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2006.