By Ron Tayo

AIDS

HIV
HIV - Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Kills or damages the bodys immune system

cells. HIV is a type of lentivirus, or slow virus. They are known for having a long time period between initial infection and beginning of serious symptoms.

HIV

White Blood Cells

HIV
HIV cells replicate by changing their RNA into

DNA and using the dead white blood cells to reproduce.

AIDS
AIDS Acquired Immunodeficiency

Syndrome. Most advanced stage of an HIV infection. Spreads through

Unprotected sex Sharing needles Contact with the blood of an infected person Childbirth

HIV
HIV multiplies as white blood cells are slowly

wiped out. People in good health have 800-1,200 CD4+T cells per cubic millimeter of blood. People infected with AIDS have less than 50 CD4+T cells in their entire body.

HIV / AIDS
With fewer white blood cells, the human

body is more vulnerable to infection from opportunistic diseases. Kind of like a Jailbreak Opportunistic diseases or diseases that are normally unable to affect the body. These diseases include pneumonia, tuberculosis, fungal diseases (meningitis, penicilliosis), viral diseases, lymophoma, etc.

Symptoms
Early symptoms
Fever Headache Tiredness Enlarged lymph nodes on the neck and groin

Symptoms
Late Symptoms
Rapid weight loss Recurring fever or profuse night sweats Prolonged swelling of the lymph nodes in the armpits,

groin, or neck Diarrhea that lasts more than a week Pneumonia Red, brown, pink, or purplish blotches on or under the skin or inside the mouth, nose, or eyelids. Memory loss, depression, and other neurologic disorders

Testing
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC) recommend HIV testing for adults, adolescents, and pregnant women during routine medical care.

Testing
2 types of tests
Enzyme Linked immunosorbent assay (Elisa) Western Blot

These tests do not detect HIV antibodies in

someone who has been recently infected (within 1 to 3 months of infection) Healthcare providers can test the blood for presence of HIV genetic material

Treatment
31 retroviral drugs (ARVs) approved by the

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat HIV infection Treatments do NOT cure people of HIV or AIDS. They only suppress the virus, even to undetectable levels, but they do not completely eliminate HIV.

Treatment
NIAID has scientific evidence that a safe and

effected HIV vaccine is possible. Studies in Thailand involving 16,000 people demonstrated that a vaccine could safely prevent HIV infection in modest proportion of study participants. Studies are underway in modifying and altering the vaccine to be more effective.

Statistics
World Health Organization estimates more

than 25 million people worldwide died since start 6th leading cause of death among people ages 25-44 Leading killer of African American Males 2544 7x more Africans and 3x more Hispanics affected than Whites.

Statistics
33.3 million people worldwide w/ HIV/AIDS in

2009. 2.6 million people newly infected in 2009 1.8 million deaths due to HIV/AIDS in 2009 For every 1 person that begins treatment, about 3 more become infected.

Prevention
Get tested regularly for HIV Practice abstinence Remain faithful Use protection Do not share needles