Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Worlds AIDS Day



Every day, more than 1,000 children are infected with HIV. It doesn’t have to be this way. The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation is challenging the global community to cut pediatric HIV infections in half over the next five years by improving access to lifesaving HIV prevention and treatment services. Join us today by sharing a special moment in your life and become part of the movement to create a generation free of HIV.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection - Topic Overview by Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS

What is HIV? What is AIDS?

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks the immune system, the body’s natural defense system. Without a strong immune system, the body has trouble fighting off disease. Both the virus and the infection it causes are called HIV.

White blood cells are an important part of the immune system. HIV invades and destroys certain white blood cells called CD4+ cells. If too many CD4+ cells are destroyed, the body can no longer defend itself against infection.

The last stage of HIV infection is AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). People with AIDS have a low number of CD4+ cells and get infections or cancers that rarely occur in healthy people. These can be deadly.

But having HIV does not mean you have AIDS. Even without treatment, it takes a long time for HIV to progress to AIDS—usually 10 to 12 years. If HIV is diagnosed before it becomes AIDS, medicines can slow or stop the damage to the immune system. With treatment, many people with HIV are able to live long and active lives.

What causes HIV?

HIV infection is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus. You can get HIV from contact with infected blood, semen, or vaginal fluids.

* Most people get the virus by having unprotected sex with someone who has HIV.
* Another common way of getting the virus is by sharing drug needles with someone who is infected with HIV.
* The virus can also be passed from a mother to her baby during pregnancy, birth, or breast-feeding.

HIV doesn't survive well outside the body. So it cannot be spread by casual contact such as kissing or sharing drinking glasses with an infected person.

What are the symptoms?

HIV may not cause symptoms early on. People who do have symptoms may mistake them for the flu or mono. Common early symptoms include:

* Fever.
* Sore throat.
* Headache.
* Muscle aches and joint pain.
* Swollen glands (swollen lymph nodes).
* Skin rash.

Symptoms may appear from a few days to several weeks after a person is first infected. The early symptoms usually go away within 2 to 3 weeks.

After the early symptoms go away, an infected person may not have symptoms again for many years. Treatment usually keeps the virus under control and helps the immune system stay healthy. But without treatment, the virus continues to grow in the body and attacks the immune system. After a certain point, symptoms reappear and then remain. These symptoms usually include:

* Swollen lymph nodes.
* Extreme tiredness.
* Weight loss.
* Fever.
* Night sweats.

A doctor may suspect HIV if these symptoms last and no other cause can be found.

How can you prevent HIV?

HIV can be spread by people who don't know they are infected. To protect yourself and others:

* Practice safe sex. Use a condom every time you have sex (including oral sex) until you are sure you and your partner are not infected with HIV.
* Don't have more than one sex partner at a time. The safest sex is with one partner who has sex only with you.
* Talk to your partner before you have sex the first time. Find out if he or she is at risk for HIV. Get tested together and retested 6 months later. Use condoms in the meantime.
* Don't drink a lot of alcohol or use illegal drugs before sex. You might let down your guard and not practice safe sex.
* Don't share personal items, such as toothbrushes or razors.
* Never share needles or syringes with anyone.

To Read the entire article by Maria G. Essig, click the link below.

http://health.yahoo.com/hiv-overview/human-immunodeficiency-virus-hiv-infection-topic-overview/healthwise--hw151411.html


Help fight the fight, educate yourself, inform others, support the cause, LIVE FOREVER