Teacher Development: SEPA Weekend Classes
Session One: HIV/AIDS Laboratory
Introduction
This
session teaches educators about the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and
Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). The main topics covered are:
This
session teaches educators about the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and
Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). The main topics covered are:
Details of the history of AIDS can be found on the AVERT web site from which much of this information was coolected.
The disease was first recognized in 1981 when unusual numbers of people with rare diseases surfaced: Kaposi's Sarcoma, a form of skin cancer,and Pneumocystis Carinii Pneumonia, a form of pneumonia. In 1984, Dr. Robert Gallo isolated the retrovirus which causes AIDS. In 1986, the AIDS virus received its final name Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
In 1987, the FDA approved Zidovudine (AZT) as the first antiretroviral drug to be used as a treatment for AIDS. Additional effective drugs became available as of 1989.
By December 1990 over 307,000 AIDS cases had been officially reported to WHO, but the actual number was estimated to be closer to a million.
The
red ribbon was launched as an international symbol of AIDS awareness in 1991.
In 1992, the first successful use of combination drug therapy for the treatment of AIDS was approved by the FDA.
By 1994, AIDS had become the leading cause of death amongst Americans between the ages of 25 and 44. 400,000 people in the United States had developed AIDS since 1981, and over 250,000 people had died.
The
FDA approved the use of Saquinavir, the first of a new group of Protease Inhibitor
antiretroviral drugs, in 1995. In 1996, it was realized that triple combination
therapy, that is three drugs taken together was likely to be more effective
than dual therapy. Three drugs were more likely to suppress the virus, to prevent
it from replicating, and so prevent the development of drug resistance. In 1997,
the FDA granted approval for delavirdine, the first in the latest group of drugs,
the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. During the year, it became
apparent that some of the side effects of the protease inhibitor drugs could
be serious.
It was also estimated that 2.3 million people died of AIDS in 1997 - a 50% increase over 1996. In 1999, the first human trial of an AIDS vaccine was started.
The update on world HIV infections, published to coincide with World AIDS Day on Friday 1st December 2000, predicted that 36.1 million people would be living with HIV by the end of 2000, up from 34.3 million a year ago and 50 per cent higher than predictions made in 1991. There will be 5.3 million new infections in 2000, and 21.8 million people have so far died of AIDS.
For additional information on AIDS statistics, please visit AVERT World Statistics and the CDC web site (cumulative number of cases in the USA).
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) currently defines AIDS in an adult or adolescent age 13 years or older as the presence of one of 25 conditions indicative of severe immunosuppression associated with HIV infection, such as Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), or HIV infection in an individual with a CD4+ T cell count less than 200/cells per cubic millimeter of blood. In children younger than 13 years, the definition of AIDS is similar to that in adolescents and adults, except that lymphoid interstitial pneumonitis and recurrent bacterial infections are included in the list of AIDS-defining conditions. There is overwhelming scientific evidence that HIV causes AIDS.
A few weeks after being infected with the AIDS virus, people may experience flu-like symptoms, such as a fever. They soon feel better, but the virus stays in their body. Eventually, most people infected with HIV get AIDS. They become very sick because the virus has weakened their nautral immune system to the point where they can no longer avoid diseases that the immune system would normally combat successfully. People with AIDS are often tired and they lose weight easily. They get pneumonia and tuberculosis, brain infections, cancer, and other illnesses. Many people die a year or two after developing full-blown AIDS.
AIDS is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus, also known as HIV or AIDS virus. The AIDS virus cannot infect people as easily as many other viruses. It can take up to ten years or more for the AIDS virus to make people sick. In the menatime, people with the virus may look and feel healthy, often for years. People get AIDS typically from one of the following interactions:
The HIV virus does not live long outside of the body and is destroyed by simple cleaning methods.
The treatment of HIV and AIDS has advanced remarkable over the last few years, especially in industrialized, wealthy nations. However, no cure has been found.
Detailed guidelines for treatment can be found via the following links:
Information
from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (requires Adobe
Acrobat Reader)
According to the CDC, "Prevention efforts have helped slow the epidemic from a period of rapid growth to an overall stabilization." However, "for prevention efforts to succeed we must address the dangerous intersection of drug-related and sexual risk. There is no question that drug use is fueling the spread of the epidemic among African-American and Hispanic populations. In addition to the direct impact of injection drug use on the spread of HIV, many people infected heterosexually are infected through sex with an injection drug user or sex in exchange for drugs or money."
For more information on the current state of the epidemic, read the CDC report, "A Glance at the HIV Epidemic" (December 2000).
Death from AIDS is declining, in part due to improved prevention and better treatments (CDC, December 2000).
Treatment options are described in the following report:
Disclaimer: Listing this information does not consitute an endorsement of any recommendations contained herein for actual treatment of a person infected with HIV.
Teachers Learning About HIV
Note: The pictures on these pages were taken during a SABIO Weekend Lecture/Lab class attended by secondary school teachers frmo San Diego County.
A simulation to show how rapidly the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) can spread through a community.
San Diego State, Department of Biology: Mala Wingerd and Bruce Wingerd.
Mala and Bruce Wingerd of the San Diego State University Biology Department
Student Materials:
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SABIO Handbook
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HIV Lab Exercise Pages and Tools
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Test Tube With Dropper
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Dropper Bottle With Phenol Red
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This lab measures the rate at which a simulated Human Immunodeficiency Virus is spread around the class. Each person will receive a vial representing his or her "body fluid". One of the vials will be "infected" with HIV (not the real virus!) and the class will engage in "test tube sex". The spread of the virus will be measured after sex.
Materials
A. Teacher Prepared:
1. Distilled Water = normal body fluid.
2. NaOH (0.1 M) = HIV infected body fluid.
3. Dropper bottles of phenol red or phenolphthalein test solution (two or three to share).
B. Students: (each)
1. One small test tube 1/2 full of a "body fluid" solution from above.
2. One dropper.
3. Two to four glass slides (clean and dry).
4. One pair of goggles.
Students listening to lab instructions
Procedure
1. Each student should obtain their materials and set their slides on the spaces provided on the data sheet (NOTE: Some of the "body fluid" solutions will contain a strong base, NaOH. Do not squirt fluids at other students. Please report all spills).
Taking Notes
2. Pretest for HIV: Place one drop of your "body fluid" solution on slide #0. Place the slide on the data sheet to the right of item #0 for later testing.
Pretesting
3. Spreading the infection: Each person will exchange body fluid with a total of three other people. We will test the body fluid for HIV after each sexual contact. Do steps A, B and C below to complete round #1.
Exchanging Fluids
A) Find a student (of either sex) to "exchange" body fluid with. Do this by having you and your partner each suck up a dropper full of fluid with your dropper. Place this dropper amount from your test tube into your partner's test tube at the same time your partner puts their dropper full of fluid into your test tube. We will call this "test tube sex".
B) Put your thumb over the top of the test tube and invert it twice to mix the contents. Place ONE DROP of fluid from your test tube onto slide #1. Place the slide on the data sheet for later testing.
C) Write down the name of the person you had "sex" with on item #1 of your data sheet.
Recording Results
4. Have "test tube sex" with two new people. After person #2, place one drop of your test tube contents on slide #2. Place slide #2 on the data sheet for later testing. After person #3, place one drop of your test tube contents on slide #3. Place slide #3 on the data sheet for later testing. Be sure to write down the names of each person you had sex with!
5. Testing for Infection: Place one drop of phenol red on each slide, right on top of your body fluid samples.
Solution remains clear or turns yellow = not infected
In the clear!
Solution turns red or pink = infected (sorry!)
"Infected"!
6. Complete your data sheet. Answer questions 1-7, and the back of the data sheet.
Clean, dry, and return slides and other materials when done.
Having fun in the process of exchanging fluids
Learning more
HIV Lab: Ouestions Sheet
1. Did every person in the room become infected?
2. If we did this experiment long enough, would everyone become infected?
3. In a real virus infection, not every person in the city comes down with the disease. no matter how long it lasts. Why is this? Try to use the word “immunity” in your answer.
4. Name two other virus caused diseases besides AIDS.
5. If you were infected, you should be able to figure out which contact gave you the virus. Check back with your contact during the round you got the virus. Complete the appropriate items below.
A. I caught the virus in round #______. The person who gave me the virus was_____________.
B. I was lucky and never got the virus!________
6. Discuss two ways that the spread of HIV can be prevented.
7. What does a person with HIV look like?
HIV/AIDS Treatment Information Service
"AIDS: Looking for Answers", by Biological Research for Animals and People, Copyright 1994 by Connecticut United for Research Excellence, Inc.
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2001· SEPA
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Master: MERX International
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