HIV :

HIV belongs to a family of viruses known as retroviruses. HIV looks like a porcupine. HIV damages cells in the immune (defense) system that fight off infections and diseases. As the virus gradually destroys these important cells, the immune system becomes less and less able to protect against illness. Typically, HIV lives in an infected person's body for months or years before any signs of illness appear.

AIDS :

AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. AIDS is not a single disease but is a syndrome- a set of diseases. AIDS is the last stage of HIV infection. As HIV attacks the immune system, When people have AIDS, their immune systems are damaged, and experience certain life-threatening infections and cancers which make them very sick and can eventually kill them.

How Do People Become Infected with HIV :

• Sexual intercourse with HIV infected person
• Transfusion of blood from infected persons
• Through infected needles
• Parental route

This virus is spread through the blood, semen, and vaginal discharges of an HIV-infected person. People can get HIV infection when they have contact with these fluids. This can happen by engaging in specific sexual and/or drug use practices. Also, HIV-infected women can pass the virus to their newborns during pregnancy and childbirth. Lastly, some people who received blood products before March 1985 got infected blood. Now all donated blood is being screened for HIV. Many people do not know they have this virus and therefore can unknowingly pass it to others. This is because they usually look and feel fine for many years after HIV infection occurs. The presence of certain STD increases the risk of getting HIV infection during contact with an HIV-infected person. Certain STD result in breaks in the skin on or in the anus, vagina, or penis that permit the virus to enter the blood system more easily. Both men and women, including teenagers, can pass HIV to a sex partner, whether he or she is the same sex or the opposite sex. This can occur during unprotected anal, vaginal, and oral (mouth) sex through contact with infected semen, blood, or vaginal secretions. People can get infected with HIV through sharing needles, cookers, or cottons (works) with someone who is infected. This can happen even when the person passing the works looks clean and healthy. Some people stopped shooting and/or sharing works many years ago and do not realize that they may have become infected with HIV back when they were still shooting drugs. They also may not realize they can pass it through unprotected sex now. Treatment during pregnancy can help an HIV-infected woman protect her baby from becoming infected. Without treatment, more than a third of all babies born to HIV-infected women will have the virus and eventually get sick.

Common Signs of HIV :

Swelling of the lymph glands in neck, armpits, groins called persistent generalized lymphadenopathy. Fever, Diarrhea, loss of appetite, night sweats, infections such as thrush and herpes.

Major Signs of HIV :

1) Weight loss - more than 10% of the body weight.

2) Fever for more than one month- intermittent or continuous.

May Health be restored to HIV patients