ted in the U.S. since the 1970s. By 1982 the term AIDS was used by public health officials. In 1983, scientists isolated HIV as the cause of AIDS (CDC, 2002).
A second type of HIV, isolated from AIDS patients in West Africa was found in 1986 and called HIV-2. HIV-1 and 2 have the same transmission modes and are associated with similar infections and AIDS. However, HIV-2 tends to develop more slowly with milder symptoms. The U.S. has less reported cases of HIV-2 (7 out of 79 infected persons) (CDC, 2002).
An HIV infected may feel perfectly healthy and can only be diagnosed with an HIV test (CDC, 2002). Diagnosis includes a physical examination and the following blood tests: complete blood count, blood chemistry profile, hepatitis B and C test, viral load test, and CD4+ T cell count. Other tests will include tuberculun skin test, toxoplasma antibody test, syphilis screening, and pregnancy tests. The CD4+
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