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What is AIDS? AIDS, (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The term AIDS applies to the most advanced stages of HIV infection. In 1993, Center for Disease Control stated the definition of AIDS to include all HIV-infected people who have fewer than 200 CD4+ T cells. Healthy adults usually have CD4+ T-cell counts of 1,000 or more. AIDS was first reported in the United States in 1981 and has since become a major worldwide epidemic. Individuals with AIDS are susceptible to life-threatening diseases that usually do not cause illness in healthy people. What is HIV? HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. The HIV virus initially disables and/or destroys T4 cells (the immune system's key infection fighters) without causing symptoms. By killing or impairing the T4 cells, HIV progressively destroys the body's ability to fight infections and certain cancers. How is HIV spread? HIV is spread by contact with infected bodily fluids. It is spread most commonly by sexual contact with an infected partner. The HIV virus can enter the body through the lining of the vagina, vulva, penis, rectum or mouth during sex. HIV also is spread through contact with infected blood. Contact may occur by sharing of needles, or blood transfusions. Due to blood screening and heat treatment, of blood, the risk of acquiring HIV from blood transfusions is extremely small. Women can transmit HIV to their fetuses during pregnancy or birth. Early Symptoms of HIV Many people do not develop any symptoms when they first become infected with HIV. Some people, however, have a flu-like illness within a month or two after exposure to the virus. They may have fever, headache, malaise and enlarged lymph nodes (organs of the immune system easily felt in the neck and groin). These symptoms usually disappear within a week to a month and are often mistaken for those of another viral infection. People are very infectious during this period, and HIV is present in large quantities in genital secretions. Other Symptoms of HIV Severe symptoms may not occur until a decade or more after HIV first enters the body in adults. Symptoms may occur within two years in children born with HIV infection. HOWEVER, just because the symptoms are not visible, doesn't mean the HIV virus is inactive. During this "invisible" time, the HIV virus is actively multiplying, infecting and killing cells of the immune system. HIV's effect is seen most obviously in a decline in the blood levels of T4 cells. T4 cells are the immune system's key infection fighters. As the immune system deteriorates, some of the symptoms are: lymph nodes or "swollen glands" that may be enlarged for more than three months, lack of energy, frequent fevers and sweats, persistent or frequent yeast infections (oral or vaginal), persistent skin rashes or flaky skin, pelvic inflammatory disease that does not respond to treatment, or short-term memory loss, weight loss, extreme fatigue, nausea, vomiting, lack of coordination, coma, abdominal cramps, or difficult or painful swallowing. Complications of HIV There are many complications associated with AIDS and HIV. Some of the common treatments of HIV are:
Treatment of HIV AIDS treatment should be discussed with your doctor. Prevention of HIV Since no vaccine for HIV is available, the only way to prevent infection by the virus is to avoid behaviors that put a person at risk of infection, such as sharing needles and having unprotected sex. Statistics According to the Center for Disease Control, the cumulative estimated number of diagnoses of AIDS through 2005 in the United States and dependent areas was 988,376. According to the Center for Disease Control, in 2005, the estimated number of persons living with HIV/AIDS in the 33 states and dependent areas with confidential name-based HIV/AIDS infection reporting was 476,749. In the 33 states only, this included 469,298 adults and adolescents, and 6,792 children under age 13.
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