Scenario question (Biology Expert)

First, let’s start with questions based on your opinion:

What is the single most important action that you can take to prevent developing an infectious disease? Why?

Scenario:

Alex is an Events Manager for a regional sports team, and always on the go. He recently visited his physician after noting the appearance of lesions on his skin that looked like large moles.   His busy schedule made it difficult to remember to book an appointment with a doctor, but some months later, he was finally able to.  After testing by his doctor, Alex receives the news that he is HIV positive and has developed AIDS.  He is shocked because he doesn’t feel sick. 

You are Alex’s nurse.  He is scared and confused and looking to you to help him understand his diagnosis.  He admits that he knows sports, but nothing about anatomy or physiology.  He has the following questions for you:

1. First, explain to Alex in your own words how the immune and integumentary systems work together to prevent and respond to disease and how HIV alters the body’s ability to protect itself.

2. Then, explain using the chain of infection, how a virus like HIV could have infected him.

3. How is it that an opportunistic infection was able to develop?  Why Kaposi’s Sarcoma?

4. Lastly, Alex is concerned about possibly infecting someone else with the virus, explain to him how he can help prevent it