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AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or Acquired Immunodeficiency
AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or Acquired Immunodeficiency
HIV is the virus which attacks the T-cells in the immune system.
AIDS is the syndrome which appears in advanced stages of HIV infection.
HIV is a virus.
AIDS is a medical condition.
HIV infection causes AIDS to develop. However, it is possible to be infected with HIV
without developing AIDS. Without treatment, the HIV infection is allowed to progress
and eventually it will develop into AIDS in the vast majority of cases.
HIV testing can identify infection in the early stages. This allows the patient to use
prophylactic (preventive) drugs which will slow the rate at which the virus
replicates, delaying the onset of AIDS.
AIDS patients still have the HIV virus and are still infectious. Someone with AIDS can
pass HIV to someone else.
What are the signs and symptoms of HIV/AIDS?
What is the difference between a sign and a symptom? A sign is something
other people, apart from the patient can detect, such as a swelling, rash, or change
in skin color. A symptom is something only the patient feels and describes, such as
a headache, fatigue, or dizziness.
For the most part, the symptoms of HIV are the result of infections caused by
bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. These conditions do not normally develop in
individuals with healthy immune systems, which protect the body against infection.
Signs and symptoms of early HIV infection
Many people with HIV have no symptoms for several years. Others may develop
symptoms similar to flu, usually two to six weeks after catching the virus. The
symptoms can last up to four weeks.
Symptoms of early HIV infection may include:
fever
chills
joint pain
muscle ache
sore throat
enlarged glands
a red rash
tiredness
weakness
weight loss
blurred vision
dry cough
night sweats
permanent tiredness
shortness of breath
weight loss
esophagitis (an inflammation of the lining of the lower end of the esophagus)
pneumonia
tuberculosis
Life-threatening illnesses may be controlled and treated with proper HIV treatment.
What causes HIV/AIDS?
HIV is a retrovirus that infects the vital organs of the human immune system. The
disease progresses in the absence of antiretroviral therapy. The rate of disease
progression varies widely between individuals and depends on many factors (age of
the patient, body's ability to defend against HIV, access to health care, existence of
coexisting infections, the infected person's genetic inheritance, resistance to certain
strains of HIV).
HIV can be transmitted through:
Perinatal transmission. The mother can pass the infection on to her child
during childbirth, pregnancy, and also through breastfeeding.
Myths: There are many misconceptions about HIV and AIDS. The virus CANNOT be
transmitted from:
shaking hands
hugging
casual kissing
sneezing
sharing towels
sharing cutlery
mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
Prevention
Unprotected sex. Having sex without a condom can put a person at risk of being
infected with HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). HIV can be spread
by having unprotected sex (vaginal, oral and anal sex). It can also be caught from
sharing sex toys with someone infected with HIV.
Drug abuse and needle sharing. Intravenous drug use is an important factor in
HIV transmission in developed countries. Sharing needles can expose users to HIV
and other viruses, such as hepatitis C.
Strategies such as needle-exchange programs are used to reduce the infections
caused by drug abuse.
Body fluid exposure. Exposure to HIV can be controlled by employing precautions
to reduce the risk of exposure to contaminated blood. At all times, health care
workers should use barriers (gloves, masks, protective eyewear, shields, and
gowns). Frequent and thorough washing of the skin immediately after being
contaminated with blood or other bodily fluids can reduce the chance of infection.
Pregnancy. Anti-HIV medicines can harm the unborn child. But an effective
treatment plan can prevent HIV transmission from mother to baby. Precautions have
to be taken to protect the babys health. Delivery through caesarean section may
be necessary. Breastfeeding may have to give way to bottle-feeding if the mother is
infected. A study by scientists from Columbia University, New York, found that
breastfeeding for 6+ months with antiretroviral therapy could help reduce motherto-child HIV transmission as well as improve chances of infant's survival. (Link to
article)
Education. Health education is an important factor in reducing risky behavior.
Managing HIV
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is one of the most serious, deadly
diseases in human history. HIV causes a condition called acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome better known as AIDS.
HIV destroys a type of defense cell in the body called a CD4 helper lymphocyte
(pronounced: lim-fuh-site). These lymphocytes are part of the body's immune
system, the defense system that fights infections. When HIV destroys these
lymphocytes, the immune system becomes weak and people can get serious
infections that they normally wouldn't.
As the medical community learns more about how HIV works, they've been able to
develop medications to inhibit it (meaning they interfere with its growth). These
medicines have been successful in slowing the progress of the disease.
If people with HIV get treated, they can live long, relatively healthy lives
just as people who have other chronic diseases like diabetes can. But, as with
diabetes or asthma, there is still no cure for HIV and AIDS.
Thousands of U.S. teens and young adults get infected with HIV each year. HIV can
be transmitted from an infected person to another person through blood, semen
(also known as "cum," the fluid released from the penis when a male ejaculates),
vaginal fluids, and breast milk.
The virus is spread through what doctors call "high-risk behaviors," which include
things like:
having unprotected oral, vaginal, or anal sexual intercourse ("unprotected"
means not using a condom)
sharing needles, such as needles used to inject drugs, steroids, and other
substances, or sharing needles used for tattooing
Other risk factors:
People who have another sexually transmitted disease (STD) (such as syphilis, genital herpes,
chlamydia, gonorrhea, or bacterial vaginosis) are at greater risk for getting HIV during sex
with infected partners.
If a woman with HIV is pregnant, her newborn baby can catch the virus from her before birth,
during the birthing process, or from breastfeeding.
If doctors know a mom-to-be has HIV, they can usually prevent the spread of the virus from
mother to baby. So all pregnant women should be tested for HIV so they can begin treatment
if necessary
A healthy body has CD4 helper lymphocyte cells (CD4 cells). These cells help the immune
system function normally and fight off certain kinds of infections. They do this by acting as
messengers to other types of immune system cells, telling them to become active and fight against an
invading germ.
HIV attaches to these CD4 cells. The virus then infects the cells and uses them as a place to
multiply. In doing so, the virus destroys the ability of the infected cells to do their job in the
immune system. The body then loses the ability to fight many infections.
Because their immune systems are weakened, people who have AIDS are unable to fight off many
infections, particularly tuberculosis and other kinds of otherwise rare infections of the lung (such as
Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia), the surface covering of the brain (meningitis), or the brain itself
(encephalitis). People who have AIDS tend to keep getting sicker, especially if they are not taking
antiviral medications properly.
AIDS can affect every body system. The immune defect caused by having too few CD4 cells also
permits some cancers that are stimulated by viral illness to occur some people with AIDS get forms
of lymphoma and a rare tumor of blood vessels in the skin called Kaposi's sarcoma.
Because AIDS is fatal, it's important that doctors detect HIV infection as early as possible so a person
can take medication to delay the onset of AIDS.
How long it takes for symptoms of HIV/AIDS to appear varies from person to person. Some people
may feel and look healthy for years while they are infected with HIV. It is still possible to infect
others with HIV, even if the person with the virus has absolutely no symptoms. You cannot
tell simply by looking at someone whether he or she is infected.
Doctors diagnose someone with AIDS when that person's blood lacks the number of CD4 cells required
to fight infections. Doctors also diagnose AIDS if the person has signs of specific illnesses or diseases
that occur in people with HIV infection.
Doctors now recommend that all people have at least one HIV test by the time they are teens. If you
are having sex, have had sex in the past, or shared needles with someone else, your doctor
will probably recommend that you get tested at least once a year.
If you have questions about HIV and want to get tested, you can talk to your family doctor,
pediatrician, adolescent doctor, or gynecologist.
People also can get tested for HIV/AIDS at pretty much any clinic or hospital in the country.
Clinics offer both anonymous testing (meaning the clinic doesn't know a person's name) and
confidential testing (meaning they know who a person is but keep it private). Most clinics will ask you
to follow up for counseling to get your results, whether the test is negative or positive.
The HIV test can be either a blood test or a swab of the inside of your cheek. Depending on what type
of test is done, results may take from a few minutes to several days. Let the doctor know the best way
to reach you confidentially with any test results.
If you had unprotected sex with someone you know has HIV or if you were raped or forced to have
sex by someone, see your doctor or go to the emergency room right away. They they might be able to
give you medications to prevent HIV infection (within 72 hours), and do the appropriate follow-up
testing.
If you're not sure how to find a doctor or get an HIV test, you can contact the National AIDS Hotlines
at (800) 342-AIDS (English) or (800) 344-7432 (Spanish). A specialist there will explain what you
should do next.
There is no cure for HIV. That's why prevention is so important. Combinations of antiviral drugs
and drugs that boost the immune system have allowed many people with HIV to resist infections, stay
healthy, and prolong their lives, but these medications are not a cure. Right now there is no vaccine to
prevent HIV and AIDS, although researchers are working on developing one.
Features
Table 4: Features of HIV/AIDS
Pathogen
Transmission method
Incubation
HIV has a few weeks, but AIDs may not develop for
up to ten years
Symptoms
Annual infected/new
incidence/mortality
worldwide
shaking hands
hugging
casual kissing
sneezing
sharing towels
sharing cutlery
mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
Statistics: Worldwide
In 2011, an estimated 2.5 million people were newly infected with HIV.
Every day nearly 7,000 people contract HIVnearly 300 every hour.
Since the beginning of the epidemic, more than 60 million people have contracted HIV
and nearly 30 million have died of HIV-related causes.
million people in the region became newly infected. An estimated 1.2 million adults and children
died of AIDS, accounting for 71 percent of the worlds AIDS deaths in 2011.
Asia and the Pacific
In Asia and the Pacific, more than 390,000 people became newly infected in 2011, bringing the
total number of people living with HIV/AIDS there to more than 5 million. AIDS claimed an
estimated 331,000 lives in the region in 2011.
Caribbean
More than 13,000 people became newly infected in the Caribbean in 2011, bringing the total
number of people living with HIV/AIDS there to more than 230,000. AIDS claimed an estimated
10,000 lives in 2011.
Central and South America
There were an estimated 86,000 new HIV/AIDS infections and 57,000 AIDS-related deaths in
Central and South America in 2011. This region currently has 1.4 million people living with
HIV/AIDS.
North Africa and the Middle East
Approximately 330,000 people are living with HIV in this region and an estimated 39,000 people
became newly infected in 2011. An estimated 25,000 adults and children died of AIDS.
Eastern Europe and Central Asia
Some 170,000 people were newly infected with HIV in 2011, bringing the number of people
living with HIV/AIDS to 1.5 million. HIV/AIDS claimed 90,000 lives in 2011.
Western and Central Europe
In 2011, there were 30,000 new cases of HIV, bringing the number of people living with HIV in
Western and Central Europe to 860,000. An estimated 9,300 people in these regions died of
AIDS in 2011.
Source: UNAIDS Fact Sheet 2012; Kaiser Family Foundation.
(Last updated July 2012)