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Facts on HIV/AIDS |
Overview
HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. This is the virus that causes AIDS. HIV is different from most other viruses because it attacks the immune system. The immune system gives our bodies the ability to fight infections. HIV finds and destroys a type of white blood cell (T cells or CD4 cells) that the immune system must have to fight disease.
AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. AIDS is the final stage of HIV infection. It can take years for a person infected with HIV, even without treatment, to reach this stage. Having AIDS means that the virus has weakened the immune system to the point at which the body has a difficult time fighting infections. When someone has one or more of these infections and a low number of T cells, he or she has AIDS.
Whereas there are symptoms of HIV, the only way to know that you are living with the virus is to be tested. Everyone should know their HIV status to protect themselves and others.
Prevention and Education
HIV and AIDS are life threatening conditions. There is no cure yet for HIV/AIDS. The transmission of HIV occurs through three well documented means:
1) having sex (anal, vaginal, or oral) with someone infected with HIV;
2) sharing needles and syringes with someone infected with HIV; and
3) being exposed (fetus or infant) to HIV before or during birth or through breast feeding. HIV transmission can be prevented through avoiding behaviors that expose someone to the means of transmission and by taking preventive measures if identified risk behaviors occur.
To protect yourself, do not inject illicit drugs and remember these ABCs:
• A=Abstinence
• B=Be Faithful
• C=Condoms
HIV is not transmitted through day-to-day activities such as shaking hands, hugging, or a casual kiss. You cannot become infected from a toilet seat, drinking fountain, doorknob, dishes, drinking glasses, food, or pets. You also cannot get HIV from mosquitoes.
Myths and Facts
HIV is spread through some of the body's fluids. HIV is in:
• blood
• semen
• vaginal fluids
• breast milk
• some body fluids sometimes handled by health care workers (fluids surrounding the brain and spinal cord, bone joints, and around an unborn baby)
HIV is passed from one person to another by:
• having sex (vaginal, anal, or oral) with a person who has HIV
• sharing needles with a drug user who has HIV
• during pregnancy, birth, or breast-feeding if a mother has HIV
• getting transfusions of blood with HIV, which is rare in the United States
HIV does not survive well outside of the body. Myths about HIV surviving in. There are many myths about how HIV is passed. Here are the facts:
• You cannot get HIV through casual contact such as shaking hands or hugging a person with HIV/AIDS.
• You cannot get HIV from using a public telephone, drinking fountain, restroom, swimming pool, Jacuzzi, or hot tub.
• You cannot get HIV from sharing a drink.
• You cannot get HIV from being coughed or sneezed on by a person with HIV/AIDS.
• You cannot get HIV from giving blood.
• You cannot get HIV from a mosquito bite.
Related Health Issues
As HIV attacks the human immune system, the immune system weakens over time and becomes more susceptible to opportunistic infections (OIs). Opportunistic infections are generally illnesses that don't make people with a healthy immune system sick or don't occur as often.
There are many kinds of opportunistic infections, including other viruses, bacterial infections, and some types of cancers. Even common colds can become more dangerous and the flu is considered a serious condition in persons with HIV/AIDS.
To name just a few, common HIV/AIDS related health issues include:
• Tuberculosis (TB)
• Hepatitis C
• Cryptoccocal meninigitis
• Pneumocytis carinii pneumosia (PCP)
• Cryptosporidiosis (crypto)
• Toxoplasmosis (toxo)
HIV/AIDS can make treating opportunistic infections harder to treat. The longer an individual's immune system can be kept healthy through diet, exercise, and working with health care providers regarding making treatment decisions and adherence to treatment regimens, the less likely opportunistic i
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