HEALTH and DISEASE

More and more people of today seem to realize that a good health means longer and happier life.
Therefore they take a better care of their health than before. They eat health food, practice different
kinds of sports. A healthy, strong and beautiful body is an ideal of majority of people and not only of the
young ones.
It is not so very difficult, if you live in a develop country with a highly developed welfare system and good
conditions for health care. But if you live in a country of the Third World where still too many people have
cholera, typhus and malaria, then you see the problem of health in a different light.
The program of the World Health Organization includes organizing international medical conferences,
the development of welfare systems especially in the countries of the Third World, the prevention and
inspection of illnesses. A great part of medical research is realized on the basis off cooperation and
coordination among different countries, more recently, especially the research of cancer and AIDS.

AIDS is one of the most serious diseases which threaten people nowadays. It is the viral disease that
impairs the immune system of the human body, which thus can get any infection. Those infections which
are not dangerous for people with normal immune system may be mortally dangerous for AIDS patients.

AIDS was first identified in the USA in 1981. There are about 10 million people infected. First AIDS
patient were all homosexuals, later AIDS was identified among intravenous drug abusers, hemophiliacs
and other persons, who had received blood transfusion, women whose partners had AIDS, and children
of these people.

AIDS is caused by a virus which was named HIV-1. The virus damages the immune system of the
human body by infecting white blood cells. The symptoms of AIDS are: fatigue, weakness, diarrhea,
weight loss, infection of the mouth...

Normal everyday contact with an infected person is safe. You cannot catch the virus by touching objects
used by infected person: cups, glasses, toilet seats... Swimming pools are also safe. The virus itself is
not very strong. It does not survive in the open air and cannot withstand the heat. The chief means off
transmission of the virus are sexual intercourse with AIDS partner.

The cure vaccine for AIDS has not yet been discovered. Many countries of the world spend a lot of
money trying to find a cure.

There are large publicity campaigns all over the world telling people all about AIDS. Advertisements in
newspaper, on television and in the streets warn of the danger. There are telephone numbers to call if
people want more information or advice.