Overview of AIDS By: Erica Lynn Hohensee

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Overview of AIDSBy Erica Lynn Hohensee
Sources www.careusa.org, www.aids.org
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What is AIDS?

• AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
• Originally starts off as HIV and as the disease
  progresses it becomes AIDS
• Overtime the immune system as a result of the
  virus begins to shut down causing things such as
  the common cold to become deadly for the
  infected person

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How can AIDS be contracted?

• HIV can be passed from person to person through
  blood, semen, breast milk or other body fluids
• Some of the ways that these fluids can be passed
  include All types of sex, intravenous drug use,
  blood transfusions which have been infected, and
  to the infant during pregnancy
• However it is very important to remember that
  HIV can not be contracted through things such as
  sweat, or saliva.

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AIDS Worldwide

• AIDS is not partial to race, sex, or sexual
  orientation- it can affect anyone and it does
• Almost 40 million people have contacted AIDS
  since it was first discovered, and the number
  continues to grow
• While AIDS is a threat in America it has
  devastated the continent of Africa, it is
  estimated that in the next ten years the number
  of orphaned children as a result of AIDS will
  reach almost 20 million

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Important!

• If you think that there is a possibility that you
  might have come in contact with the HIV virus it
  is crucial that you get tested
• The earlier you get tested not only are you
  removing the risk of infecting others, but the
  earlier into the disease you test positive the
  easier it will be to help the HIV from turning to
  AIDS

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AIDS Hope for the future

• While as of right now there is no cure for
  HIV/AIDS, we have come along way in the past
  decade concerning treatments
• With the development of protease inhibitors which
  combines with other drugs to make the AIDS
  cocktail people are living longer and healthier
  lives, these drugs when given early enough help
  to slow the onset of the AIDS virus
• Everyday more research is done to try to find a
  cure for AIDS-but until then the best remedy is
  prevention through education