as been established that the retrovirus destroys the "helper" (T4) subset of T lymphocytes which are these cells considered to be critical in maintaining the human immunologic response to threatening infections and disease.
The terminal stage of this breakdown of the immunologic response is what is known as AIDS; and it is in this phase of the infection that individuals are highly vulnerable to opportunistic infections and malignancies. Thus, HIV infection is associated with a poor prognosis. Indeed, Francis and Chin (1987) have noted that in studies of antibody- or seropositive homosexuals and hemophiliacs, it was observed that between 13 and 34 percent of the individuals examined developed AIDS over the course of six years.
At least one-third of all AIDS patients will develop neurologic disease prior to death. Frequencies of organic mental disorders are also high--including such illnesses as dementia, delirium, and affective and personality syndromes. (Wolcott, Fawzy & Pasnau, 1985). Because AIDS has still not been sufficiently documented and investigated, it cannot be reliably established as to the proportion of HIV-infected persons who will eventually develop AIDS. However, the National Academy of Science and the Institute of Medicine projected that between 25% and 50% of seropositive individuals will develop AIDS within 5 to 10 years of acquiring the HIV infection. (Francis & Chin, 1987). Other estimates are much higher. For example, Masters, Johnson and Kolodny (1988) have predicted that virtually all seropositive subjects will eventually develop AIDS.
The stage of disease progression just prior to the development of AIDS has been referred to as AIDS-Related Complex or ARC. Individuals are diagnosed with ARC when they test seropositive for the HIV virus and show two or more AIDS-related symptoms such as swollen glands, weight loss, diarrhea, fatigue, or night sweats.
On a world-wide basis, as of 1992, app...