What You Need to Know: A Guide About AIDS

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome, more commonly known as AIDS, is the final and most devastating stage of the HIV disease, which causes critical damage to your immune system.

AIDS is caused by the Human immunodeficiency virus, more commonly known as HIV. This virus attacks the immune system, leaving the body vulnerable to a wide range of infections and diseases. Common bacteria, parasites and viruses that would not originally cause serious disease in people could be potentially fatal for people with AIDS. AIDS is the fifth most common leading cause of death for people between the ages of 25 and 44 in the United States. In 1995, it was the number one cause of death. About 25 million people worldwide have died from this infection, with over 40 million people currently living with either HIV or AIDS as of 2008.

HIV has been found in many places on the body. Sites of discovery include saliva, tears, blood, semen, vaginal fluid and breast milk. The only places that transmit infections are blood, semen, vaginal secretions and breast milk. The virus can be transmitted from many ways. Sexual contact, such as oral, vaginal and anal, can transmit this disease. Blood can carry this disease and can be shared through the sharing of needles or blood transfusions, although it is extremely rare to receive the AIDS virus through a blood transfusion in the United States. A pregnant woman can transmit the disease to her fetus due to shared blood circulation, or can transmit it to her baby through her breast milk. Rare methods of transmission include an accidental needle injury, artificial insemination or an organ transplant with an infected organ. The infection cannot be spread through casual contact. It can't be transmitted by mosquitoes.

People who donate blood or donate organs are not at risk for the virus, due to the reasons they are never in direct contact of the person that receives it. HIV can be transmitted by receiving blood or organs, which is why donor programs screen thoroughly.

People who are at the highest risk for getting the AIDS virus include drug users that share needles and infants that are born from a mother has carries the virus. People that engage in unprotected sex increase their risk. Blood transfusion patients that received their product between 1977 and 1985 are at a high risk, due to the time period that occurred before the screening for the virus began. Also, partners that engage in high-risk activities have a higher risk.

AIDS starts as the HIV infection. People with HIV can have no symptoms for over ten years, but are still able to transmit the infection to others. During this time, the immune system is still being slowly weakened as the AIDS develops. During AIDS, the T-cell count is below 200. Almost all people that receive the HIV virus will progress into the AIDS virus if not treated.

The symptoms of AIDS are the results of infections that would not normally develop into anything serious in healthy immune systems. Some symptoms are fevers, sweats, swollen glands, chills, weakness, and weight loss.

There is currently no cure for the AIDS virus. There are a wide range of treatments that you can use to help your symptoms pacified which help improve your life. Antiretroviral therapy suppresses parts of the HIV virus.

There is no cure for AIDS at this time. However, a variety of treatments are available that can help keep symptoms at bay and improve the quality of life of those who have already developed symptoms. A combination of several medicines called highly active antiretroviral therapy, or HAART, has shown to reduce the number of HIV particles found flowing in the blood stream. This can be determined by a blood test called the viral load. This can help the immune system recover and help improve the count of T-cells. Although HAART is not a cure for HIV, and people can still transmit the disease. Many medications are being investigated. Some medications are used to prevent infections that could occur.

In order to prevent AIDS, you need to take certain precautions. First, read articles on safe sex and what you can do to learn how to reduce your risk through sex. Do not use injected drugs. If receiving drugs through an IV, do not share needles or syringes. Avoid contact with other people's blood at all times possible. Use protection when you must be in contact. If you have AIDS, do not donate blood, plasma, organs, or sperm. If a pregnant woman that has AIDS, talk to your doctor about possible medical options and what you can do to reduce the baby's chances of getting the virus. Use condoms when having sex, but the only way to guarantee you do not acquire the AIDs virus is to undergo abstinence. The riskiest behavior is unprotected sex, while the least risky is through oral sex.

Patients that take medications are proven to have a less likely chance of transmitting the disease. The US blood supply is one of the safest in the world. The risk of being infected with a blood transfusion through a transplant is almost zero. If you believe you have been infected with the HIV virus, contact medical attention as soon as possible. With the information in this article, you now have the tools you need to successfully go through this process.