80+ Caribou Illegally Slaughtered in the Northwest Territories in Less Than 2 Weeks
The Northern Indigenous populations are outraged at finding carcasses and wasted resources among more than 80 illegally killed caribou.
Monday, November 30, 2020
Thursday, November 26, 2020
Signs and Symptoms of HIV/AIDS
Signs and Symptoms of HIV/Aids
Hunter Connolly
Janet Perry
SNC2D
The Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, affect the body’s ability to fight off infection. The virus can be broken up into three categories of classification; Acute HIV infection, Chronic HIV infection, and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. Most people diagnosed with HIV today, can go on to live completely normal and healthy lives. Although there is no proven effective cure, it can be treated with medications which rapidly slow down the progression of the infection. Most people live with the infection chronically, taking medications, and frequent visits with doctors, however that does not always stop you from acquiring AIDS, and when AIDS is contracted this is the last stage of the virus, and is ultimately fatal.
First of all, the Acute HIV Infection is when the virus is first contracted. Within two to four weeks of direct exposure with an HIV positive patient, symptoms such as Fever, Chills, Rash, Night sweats, Muscle aches, Sore throat, Fatigue, Swollen lymph nodes, and Mouth ulcers, are normal to experience. Symptoms vary by patient and can last anywhere from days, to weeks. The symptoms experienced with the acute infection don't necessarily mean it is HIV. Antibody tests are the only way to give a proper diagnosis. During this stage of the virus, it is spreading at a rapid rate, and you can very easily transmit it to others.
Then, during the chronic Hiv infection phase, you usually don't experience very many symptoms, and if so, they tend to have a mild effect. Most people in this phase live completely normal lives, with the help of medications. What happens to the body during this phase, is that the HIV cells are usually increasing, while the CD4 cells are decreasing; a CD4 cell is a type of protein found on the T helper cells, these white blood cells act as an important mediator to the immune system. When a decrease in CD4 cells occurs, it represents that the immune system is becoming weaker and weaker. Antiretroviral therapy is often used for any HIV positive patient, and this is essentially when a variety of Antiretroviral drugs (ARV) are used to suppress the virus and stop the progression.
Finally, the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome occurs when the body’s immunesystem becomes so weak, that your body is unable to fight off any disease/infection. During the first two stages of HIV, your CD4 cell levels are anywhere between 300-1,400 per mm 3 , and with AIDS your CD4 cell count is below 200, therefore any time your CD4 cell count is below 200 mm 3 you can receive a proper diagnosis of AIDS. There are other factors that can make one's CD4 levels higher or lower, as everyone is different, however some people are at a pre-disposition of having a low count due to Immunosuppressive therapy, lymphoma, other infections/disease, however HIV is usually the leading factor.
In summary, he virus can be broken up into three categories of classification; acute HIV infection, which is Stage 1 of the virus and you are usually most symptomatic, and very susceptible to transmitting the virus. Stage 2 of HIV is the Chronic HIV infection, when you are usually asymptomatic and being treated with Antiretroviral therapy; people in this stage can resume a completely normal life. The final stage, the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, is when the body's immune system is essentially so deteriorated that your body is unable to fight off any form of infection or disease.
Tuesday, November 10, 2020
Monday, November 9, 2020
Letter to the Mayor
A letter to the Mayor regarding the declining fish population in the Mississippi River.