HIV and AIDS

H = Human
I = Immuno-deficiency
V = Virus

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus that attacks the immune system and damages it. A damaged immune system cannot fight germs well. There are many stages during the HIV infection. AIDS is an advanced HIV stage

A person who is HIV positive (meaning a person who has HIV) does not necessarily have AIDS, but a person who has AIDS is HIV positive. If a person has been diagnosed with AIDS as some point in their lives, the diagnosis of AIDS as opposed to HIV positive alone will remain even if there is a significant improvement in their health status

HIV is transmitted through

• blood
• semen
• vaginal fluid
• breast milk
• other body fluids containing blood

A = Acquired
I = Immune
D = Deficiency
S = Syndrome

AIDS is one of the most serious, deadly diseases in human history.

More than 20 years ago, doctors in the United States identified the first cases of AIDS in San Francisco and New York. Now there are an estimated 42 million people living with HIV or AIDS worldwide, and more than 3 million die every year from AIDS-related illnesses.

AIDS is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). 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 infectious diseases. But as HIV destroys these lymphocytes, people with the virus begin to get serious infections that they normally wouldn't — that is, they become immune deficient. The name for this condition is acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)

AIDS portal ...

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