- Full name:
Human Immunodeficiency Virus /
Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Syndrome. It is
important to distinguish between the two. HIV is
the virus that ultimately causes AIDS. AIDS is a
syndrome, a collection of symptoms associated
with HIV infection.
- Symptoms:
People infected with HIV may have
no symptoms for up to fifteen years. During this
time, they are capable of infecting anyone they
have sex with or donate blood to. Initial
symptoms of HIV infection include inexplicable
weight loss, persistent fever, swollen lymph
nodes, and reddish spots on the skin (Karposi's
Sarcoma).
HIV causes the destruction of the
immune system. It's most pronounced symptoms,
therefore, are opportunistic infections of
pneumocystis carinii, fungal infections,
tuberculosis, and various herpes forms.
- Treatment:
There is no cure for HIV / AIDS.
Right now most scientists agree that if you are
infected with HIV, you will eventually die of
AIDS. Treatment may fend off infections, however
the typical course is for one overwhelming
infection to follow another until the victim
succumbs. Various drugs may slow the virus, but
right now there is no cure.
- Transmission:
In a person infected with HIV,
the virus can be present in the body's semen,
blood, and breast milk. It can also be present,
in much smaller quantities, in vaginal secretion,
saliva, and tears.
The AIDS virus can be transmitted
via any of these fluids, but only the first two
- semen and blood - are likely to be involved.
Anal sex is the most commonly perceived method of
transfer, but vaginal sex has been repeatedly
shown to transmit HIV. Men are less likely than
women to be infected through vaginal sex, but
there are recorded cases of men having been
infected this way. Cunnilingus and fellatio have
also been established as capable of transmitting
the virus. Sexual activities, not sexual
orientation, transmit the virus.
HIV cannot be passed on through
casual contact, hugging, hand-shaking, touching
the sweat of an infected person, or mosquito
bites.
- Testing:
The HIV test shows the presence
of antibodies to HIV. It does not show the
presence of the virus: the body first has to
develop antibodies, which normally takes about
six weeks. Hence, a positive result means that
someone has antibodies and could possibly develop
AIDS in the future. A negative result means that
someone does not have antibodies at the
moment. If there is a reason to think that
exposure was more recent than six weeks, then a
test taken immediately can only serve as a
baseline to compare against a test taken later.
Within six months of HIV infection, 99% of the
population will test positive. No one should be
tested for HIV without first obtaining
counselling and ensuring beforehand
support from his or her family or friends.
- The following numbers may be of use:
-
AIDS Hotline (800) 342-2437
AIDS Information Clearing House
(800) 458-5231 9-7 EST
CDC AIDS Ethnicity, Age recording
(404) 330-3020
CDC AIDS Transmission mode
recording (404) 330-3021
CDC AIDS Top 10, Projections
recording (404) 330-3022
