Page 4
FEATURE
THE CLACKAMAS PRINT
April 29,1992
AIDS kills world wide
Disease contracted through risk behavior
by Daphne Hartt
Staff Writer
A vicious malignancy
without a cure continues to plague
countries worldwide. This deadly
disease that I am referring to is
called AIDS (Acquired Immune
Deficiency Syndrome). This
communicable disease is killing
hundreds of thousands across the
nation and in foreign lands every
year.
AIDS is defined as “an acquired
illness of the immune system
which reduces the body’s ability to
fight specific types of infections
and cancers.”
A
victim
is
first
diagnosed as being HIV(Human
Immunodeficiency Virus) positive
and then develops ARC (AIDS
Related Complex) or full-blown
AIDS.
HIV is a condition in
which the AIDS virus is present
and transmittable, but AIDS
usually doesn’t develop until the
fifth through eleventh year of
having HIV. Often, signs and
symptoms do not occur until the
second through fifth years after
contraction.
ARC on the other hand is
a condition in which a person tests
positive and has symptoms of the
early stages of the disease. The
difference, however, is that the
majority of people with ARC do
not contract AIDS, but can infect
others with the AIDS virus . ARC
mostly attacks the nervous system.
The common effect is AIDS
dementia complex. This is a
“progressive disorder that destroys
This communicable
disease is killing
hundreds of
thousands across
the nation and in
foreign lands every
year.
the brain tissue and spinal
column.”
This in turn can cause
personality changes, memory loss,
paralysis of body parts, blindness
and
impaired
intellectual
functioning.
Normally the body’s
immune system works as follows.
When foreigners enter the body,
such as pathogens (disease-bearing
organisms), a process called
phagocytosis takes place. This
means that the white blood cells
called macrophages attack and
destroy invaders. Other white
blood cells called T-lymphocytes
help in ridding pathogens. These
are the T4 helper and T4 killer
cells.
However, it is not the cell
alone, but the antigen, the protein
in the cell, that elicits an immune
response to inactivate the intruder.
But when HTV enters the
body, a great problem arises. The
by Edwin R. Murphy
Staff Writer
In an effort to increase the
focus of AIDS awareness,
members of Queen, with the help
of MTV and many colleagues, held
the live-televised “Concert for
Life: A Tribute to Freddie
Mercury”, honoring the famed
vocalist of Queen who died of
AIDS Nov. 24,1991.
Mercury was perhaps one
of the most flamboyant and
original people of the hard rock
genre of the mid-70’s, when the
band rocked to the top with hits
like, “We Are the Champions,”
“Bohemian Rhapsody” and “We
Will Rock You.”
Queen, composed of Freddie,
Brian May on guitar, Roger Taylor
on drums and John Deacon on
guitar, blended opera, classical,
and innovative touches in their
distinctive approach to the creative
expression of rock music.
Highlights of the show
included a duet featuring Annie
Lennox of the Eurythmics and
David Bowie, and solos by Roger
Dal trey, Robert Plant and Axl Rose
and 72,000 Queen fans singing
along with their favorite tunes.
Elton John and Axl Rose also did a
duet that left many gasping with
awe and appreciation.
KGON DJ Terry Adams noted
the historical significance of the
April 20th event in a Clackamas
Print exclusive interview.
“I was very affected by
the tears rolling down the face of
Roger Taylor as (British pop star)
Seal sang ‘Who Wants To Live
Forever,’ for what may be the last
time.
“It was interesting to hear
Robert Plant, discussing the show
beforehand,
mention
the
resemblance
of the
song
‘Innuendo,’ off the latest Queen
CD, to the infamous Led Zeppelin
tune ‘Cashmere.’”
Then I watched as he interspersed
lyrics from the Zeppelin tune
during his soulfid rendition, (the
first ever by Queen) during the
telecast, as Brian May crafted an
intense acoustical solo.
It was Queen’s final
stroke. It was masterful and
ingenious.
Other
firsts
include, Elton John performing
“The Show Must Go On,” the first
time the song had ever been
performed live, and the first time
that Tony Iommi had ever played
guitar with Queen (and he played
every song).
The lie-in with the U2
show did not work out close
enough to be live, but the feelings
generated by Bono and the
Sacramento audience proved an
inspiration and aid to further
awareness of the AIDS disease.
Cindy Crawford was the
television master of ceremonies.
Crawford pointed out that the
concert was designed to appeal to
the 16-24 age group; the populace
with
the
fastest growing
percentage of AIDS.
Although no
vaccination has
been developed,
there are many ways
to avoid AIDS.
Symptoms
are
“sensations experienced by a
patient
such
as
fatigue,
breathlessness, memory loss and
loss of appetite.
Although no vaccination
has been developed there are many
ways to avoid AIDS. Most people
with AIDS contracted the disease
through some sort of risk behavior.
A risk behavior is “an action that
helps increase the likelihood of
illness and accidents, threatens
your health and the health of
others, and helps destroy the
environment”
What does a risk behavior
have to do with AIDS? A lot. It can
be the determining factor in losing
your life to a terrible and tenacious
disease. Since AIDS is transmitted
through bodily fluid exchange and
direct exposure to infected blood
such as transfusions, pregnancy of
an HIV woman or the use of a dirty
Continued on Pg. 10
One student's story:
AIDS test proves to be a memorable experience
by Tracy
questions and found out a ito of
record. Also, written results are
available and the health
AIDS can hit close to home.
The journalism stoffdecidfd to
do an issue about it » month ago.
X volunteered to taketheHIV
tes£: '
"
■
TheHIV-virusattacksyourT-
cells and takes over tocm,.'iheT--
department could reach me if
they needed to. . ’ •
,::7.
1 chose to take the
confidential test.
My mom
already knew I was taking toe
test and so did many of my
friends. I felt toerc was no
reason to remain anonymous.
Well, after the paperwork
was token cate of, Carol pulled •
out her tray fullof needles;I am
usually notbotheredby thesight
of needles. (I even lived through -
donating blood, once.)
.7„
I pulled up my left sleeve and
Carol put the rubber band
around it. Isqneezedmy hand to
make a fist, all very routine.
Then she jabbed me with toe z
needle and I watched my vein
jump out rtf the way.
That was when I lost it. I
passed out right there in that
small room with concrete floors. J;'
When I came to I was
bombarded with apple juice and
wet cloths. •; ;;vj
I learned, a.very valuable,
tesson. ' Voir- are dwiyi
supposed to^bcfc^yop Wye
„ Staff Walter,
cells are the ones that fight
irdections.. This storts. happening
about throe months after your
initial exposure.
7
toe staff fustdiscussed
ftmciass,Iwasaliforthcideato
tdk« toe >test. Leaded for the
appointment - and Xtbf ’ closest
7Xto* toenhaveaperrodoftwq
shOwsymptoms.Some people
neverdoandarejust earners of the
availableume.was toreewecks
'
'Concert for life' performers
help increase AIDS awareness
Signs of AIDS are “pieces of
evidence that can be verified
objectively such as a positive HIV
antibody test,. opportunistic
diseases, an alteration in the T4
lymphocyte count, enlarged lymph
nodes, weight loss and persistent
diarrhea.”____________________
T4 killers wind up destroying the
T4 helpers in the process of
attacking the virus. Another
problem is that the virus may
reproduce itself immediately or
wait for a long period of time.
The signs and symptoms
of AIDS can be detected through
tests and self-examination. The
two most commonly used
detection tests are the ELISA
(Enzyme-Linked
Immuno
Sorbent Assay) and the Western
Blot test The ELISA checks the
blood for antibodies that indicate
infection by the AIDS virus. This
test is also used by blood centers to
screen the donated blood.
The Western Blot test detects
the virus’s presence and the size of
the
AIDS
antibodies.
. The aprirai ptut ^ sài is toat
waslMay. , '; 7
''
T^zwas'c^+ rgmtoe' toeroisuocure^Onqe yob testHl V
positive, it ualt^sitoevrtalde that
time to build up tnyeburage..
ThenmsewhodoestoetesJattoe? it wtfi develop to to AlD$, Carol
Clackamas ■ ;Copnty' .HealtV sirc^sed toe fact that the earher the
Departmeut.CarolHihs,seemed detection,the better.
7-^She said that if toe virus m
fncndly enough on the phone.
wasting her tmre taking the test
just ger
had „to cpdyince iterthat X/twfc?
After three weeks of
apprehension and
uneasiness, I finally
made it to my
appointment. I was
even 15 minutes
early. '7
atop takingtoe wTor
well-being/'
7'
No, Ihavenevetfeenan
:1 ever beena prbstitate? And;F
'fy&e; never had
with a
chance that someone t have been
wfo in toe past has, pr they had
been withsomeonewbohas,
"7X
After toree'weeks; of.,
apprehension and uneasiness, I ; detected early enough, there are
[ treatments that can improve toe
mtrndeswly»,
v,;',// z
i quality and quantity of life/ That
Reassured me on taking toe test.
Arrived at toe feeaito
department and wentto sign in.
, yfy \ health, department also !
offers many other
waitrng room I was in was also
tor toe family ptantorig, S*n>’s
and pro-natal climes, .
", .
After toe formalities were out
of the way, I had to make an
important decision. Carol gave me
a paper describing the two options
Ihad.
' - 7 A
7 -, ;
I could either take the test
anonymously or confidentially. If
; The cltoic fol tows »different . I took it anonymously then no
procedure for the patients name or other identifying
getting HIV testing.
Carol information is used. Testing is
done by assigned number only.
personally cameoutto get me in
the waiting room. ; Fpt .¡all toe There would be nd written results;
other services, a nurse just calls and no information is given after
out your name^'X/ ?
\ i the results tra given Jsfoàïy./
,, I followed her back to the
room.;;
toe usual
examining room, but jus ta table,; '
twa chaWand a sink,
Also, toe health department would
have no way of reaching me if they
had information ■. affecting < my
health. J. < 7. 4
z ■ ■ / 7 a -? 7 ■
; /¿She sat across from mq and / ■
The other
aritodmea^tof^t0^abp^^ confidentiality, means
results will be part
WhyJtoought I was at risk
AIDSxIansweredaßpf/her;
permanent confidential
option,
that the
of my
medical
blood taken, unless yon are
advised otherwise.
7.- b
After I felt better, we moved
to an examining room so I could
lay down while she took toe
blood out of my right arm. By
that time I was about to give up
and just go home.
Carol
convinced medo stay since! had
gone so far already, . -
.. Tbete^ Of the pTOCCdUre
uneventful. She took toe blood
and told me to come back for my
results in two weeks,
On my way home I felt
relieved that I had gotten it over ?'
with» Then! realized t^tlwas
wrong.
The next two weeks are
going to be! piiie helT for me.? I';
must: spend half toe: day
changing my muid back and
forth about whether1 should
even go back and get my results,
I have a feeling my curiosity
* will get toe best of me. The big
• problem is that it is getting toe
best of me right now as well.