Current News

Renewed Attention Given to HIV

Lisa Capasso disease (STD) was taken even more seriously. Bisexuals and heterosexuals can
ARGO STAFF WRITER be at risk as well, as with Charlie Sheen who is not gay; rather hes known for
his shameless boasting about his multitude of sexual encounters with women.
The announcement made by bad-boy celebrity, Charlie Sheen, that he is More than 1.2 million people in the US have HIV, and approximately 13% of
HIV-positive has brought renewed attention to the virus. His admission is likely them are not even aware of their infection.
no surprise to most people after his years of hard-partying. He has been notori- Once a person is infected with HIV, it stays for ones life-time even
ously known for his alcohol, drugs, porn and prostitutes life-style. though the virus may successfully be managed with drugs. A person with AIDS
Apparently a few people who did know of his HIV told some of his can suffer an untimely death because the body becomes incapable of defend-
former sexual partners. A few women supposedly threatened to sue and disclose ing against other viruses, parasites, fungi, and bacteria, and theres an increased
- likelihood of developing cancer. Although HIV and AIDS is not the epidemic it
rus. Fearing he would be blacklisted in Hollywood, he wanted to keep his health was a few decades ago, many people are still being infected, and ef
status secret. Financial settlements were reached and he required the women to a cure and improve prevention continue.
keep quiet as a part of the deals, some calling it hush money. According to The The big hope has been to stop HIV in its tracks by preventing its inva-
Daily Mail, Sheen has spent a minimum of $5 million to keep the news that sion into white blood cells called T-cells. Recently it was announced the sci-
he had HIV silent. Finally, he has taken personal responsibility and acknowl-
edged his health status publicly. new vaccine over the past 15 years. Robert Gallo says this vaccine is ready for
HIV , human trials after extensive trials on monkeys have been very successful. The
enters the blood stream, and then attacks the immune system over time. Al- vaccine targets the HIV proteins when they are vulnerable during its transition
though testing positive with HIV is a terrible shock, being diagnosed nowadays phase. This is while HIV tries to dock on a T-cell receptor. If the virus cannot
does not necessarily carry a death sentence like it used to. Improved medical replicate itself, it should not be able to take over the immune system. The objec-
treatments can help most patients successfully keep HIV under control and tive of this phase-one study on 60 volunteers is to assess the vaccines safety
- and see what the immune responses are.
quently developing, but there is no cure yet. Although various researchers have conducted over 100 AIDS vaccine
HIV trials during the past 30 years, they fell short but Gallos vaccine looks more
society. Initially many gay men were dying from it back in the 1980s, and they promising than others. The news about Sheens health and Gallos trials is open-
were stigmatized. However, when it was realized HIV and AIDS were not ing up the HIV/AIDS conversation again. All sexually active people should
exclusive to the then-despised homosexual community, this sexually transmitted take STDs seriously, be fully aware of risks and methods of transmission, and
responsibly protect themselves from any possible exposure to HIV.

16 THE ARGO NOVEMBER 23 2015