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About HIV 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. HIV and AIDS are life threatening conditions. There is no cure yet for HIV/AIDS. Transmission 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 by avoiding behaviors that expose someone to the means of transmission and by taking preventive measures if/when identified risk behaviors occur. For the best protection, do not inject illicit drugs and remember these ABCs:
Abstaining from (not having) sex is the most effective way to prevent HIV transmission. There are several ways to protect yourself or to prevent transmitting HIV during vaginal, oral, or anal sex if you choose to have sex:
HIV is spread through some of the body's fluids. HIV is in:
HIV does not survive well outside the body and despite many myths about how HIV is transmitted; it cannot be done so through casual, everyday contact. Here are the facts:
Transmission of HIV while getting a tattoo or through a body piercing is possible, but it can be prevented through:
These guidelines are the same as those practiced within any medical facility where there is a risk of instruments coming into contact with blood. Living with HIV/AIDS Despite the large efforts underway to develop a preventative and therapeutic vaccine at this time there is no cure for HIV or AIDS However, research has advanced HIV/AIDS treatments greatly since the early days of the outbreak, and HIV drugs can slow down the virus's attack on the human immune system. People with HIV/AIDS can now live healthier, longer lives. Living with HIV/AIDS requires consultation with an HIV doctor (usually an infectious disease specialist) who can help individuals with treatment and drug decisions. The decision to start drug treatment is a very personal decision and one that should only be made in consultation with a health care provider based on clinical status (symptoms), immune system health (CD4 count and viral load), whether a diagnosis of AIDS has been made, and whether a treatment plan can be maintained (treatment adherence). While treatment has its benefits, it also has its risks, such as multiple side effects from HIV drugs and therapies, potential toxicity from drug treatments, as well as possible resistance of HIV to drugs over time. Statistics* At the end of 2003,* an estimated 1,039,000 to 1,185,000 persons in the United States were living with HIV/AIDS [1]. In 2006, 35,314 new cases of HIV/AIDS in adults, adolescents, and children were diagnosed in the 33 states with long-term, confidential name-based HIV reporting [2]. New HIV/AIDS diagnoses tell us how many people have been diagnosed with HIV or AIDS, but do not necessarily represent new HIV infections because a person may have been infected in years past but received a diagnosis in 2006.* CDC plans to release the estimated number of new HIV infections when available. HIV/AIDS Cases by Age* Of the estimated number of HIV/AIDS cases diagnosed in the 33 states with confidential name-based HIV infection reporting, persons' ages at time of diagnosis were distributed as follows.
These numbers do not represent reported case counts. Rather, these numbers are point estimates, which result from adjustments of reported case counts. The reported case counts have been adjusted for reporting delays and for redistribution of cases in persons initially reported without an identified risk factor, but not for incomplete reporting. Content Source: |
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