Is HIV the Same as AIDS?

December 1^st marks the annual World AIDS Awareness Day. This international health day is a kick-off to a whole week of worldwide AIDS awareness events. Since 1988, the World AIDS Campaign is the most recognized in raising awareness, providing better access to prevention, treatment services, and marking a special day to remember those who have died in relation to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

A common worldwide annual world AIDS awareness event is broader promotion of free HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) testing. The abbreviations AIDS and HIV are too often swapped in media and even on clinic advertisements offering no cost AIDS tests. Do these practices mean AIDS and HIV are the same thing?

No. HIV is a virus and AIDS is a disorder. A person can catch a virus, but cannot catch a disorder. AIDS is a disorder that may develop because a person's long term diminishing immunity as a reaction to HIV virus. While most clinics correctly advertise free HIV testing, clinics advertising free AIDS testing ought to consider the confusion created by their ads. The test only checks for the HIV virus, not the AIDS disorder. Just because someone is diagnosed with HIV does not mean the person also has AIDS.

The United States National HIV and STD Testing Resources offers a comprehensive list of clinics with tests for HIV and other STDs (Sexually Transmitted Diseases) including their contact information, directions and notes on which places offer free testing. If the nearest site is not listed as one doing free tests, call them anyway. They may offer free tests even though the website didn't list it that way. They may offer lowered prices during certain days of the week, or recommend a free test clinic near you that is not on the national list.

There's no reason to feel bad or to delay HIV testing. Don't wait for symptoms because there are no symptoms at first and without treatment it can lead to AIDS much faster than if left undiagnosed. If answering only one of the following questions as a "Yes" get an HIV test:

Have you ever shared needles, syringes, or other equipment used to prepare street drugs for injection?

Have you ever had sex without using a condom? All unprotected sex contains some risk.

Have you had more than one sex partner?

Do you have any other Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD)?

Are you pregnant? HIV can pass to the baby.

Are you recently single? The National Institute on Aging says that people about age 50 and up, who divorce or become widowed, do not realize they can be at risk for HIV infection in new relationships. The CDC recently reported elderly Americans are diagnosed with HIV in higher numbers each year. Although the under age 25 group account for about 33% of new HIV cases annually, about another 20% are senior citizens and the over 50 age group HIV patients are increasing.

A list of less common causes for HIV infection is included on the CDC website: HIV and AIDS, and also through the National AIDS Hotline, phone number 1-800-CDC-INFO.

Thanks to organizations like World AIDS Campaign, committed medical personnel, researchers, and volunteers great progress continues since AIDS was first known in 1981. Solving the questions of what HIV and AIDS are and are not was a monumental hurdle to win. But there are many more questions left to be answered.

Sources

World AIDS Campaign http://www.worldaidscampaign.org/en/World-AIDS-Day/WAD-2010-Events-Calendar/World-AIDS-Day-AIDS-Concern-Testing-Week-Why-feel-bad-It-s-just-a-HIV-test!
HIV and the Elderly, by the NIA http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/hiv-aids.htm
Center for Disease Control http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/basic/