Immonology and AIDS

            
             Immunology is the scientific study of the body's resistance to disease, or the study of the human immune system. It consists of a variety of organs, tissues, cells, and cell products. Without the immune system, the body is susceptible to attacks made by pathogens.
             A growing concern in today's society is the spreading of HIV, or the Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus. HIV attacks the immune system and renders it to a point where it can no longer defend the body of pathogens. The virus is able to achieve this by attacking T-cells. These special cells are responsible for the production of white blood cells, which are essential for fighting off diseases. In addition, T-cells are responsible for locating pathogens for the white blood cells to attack. However, when HIV attacks the T-cells, it reprograms them to create more of the HIV virus instead of the white blood cells. When the new viruses exit the T-cell, it also destroys it in the process. Over time, the white blood cell count decreases and the HIV count skyrockets. When a person's body has reached a point where it can no longer defend itself, the person is diagnosed to have AIDS, or Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome. Currently, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease estimates that as of the end of 2000, 36.1 million people worldwide have HIV/AIDS. More than 70% of them live in Sub-Saharan Africa(niaid.gov). .
             Despite these grim statistics, there is some hope. Scientists are vigorously working around the clock to develop new vaccines and medicines to prevent and destroy the HIV virus. Last week, scientists unveiled new laboratory results, which could potentially aid in the creation of a HIV vaccine. Roughly 20 months ago, scientists in Philadelphia injected an engineered version of the livestock virus called vesicular stomatitis virus or VSV into monkeys. The engineered virus did not cause any disease in the monkeys, but it did trigger a very strong immune system response to the AIDS virus proteins.