HIV/AIDS

02.07

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is caused by a virus named human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) that can be transmitted both sexually and non sexually (blood transfusion from donors that infected HIV and needles used in ear-piercing, tattoo making and drug abuse).

HIV can survive in almost all human body fluids such as sweat, saliva, blood, semen, and vaginal secretion. But in sweat and saliva are usually are not enough to cause an infection.

Phase I that may last for five – seven years shows no symptoms yet. In phase II early symptoms of the infection like loss of appetite, weakness, excessive perspiration at night, rash, swollen lymph nodes, persistent diarrhea and influenza appear. The phase lasts about six months to two years.

AIDS can first be diagnosed when the immunity level is extremely very low. It makes an individual very vulnerable to tuberculosis, pneumonia, nervous disturbance and other fatal diseases. AIDS produces non specific symptoms, and up to now medical scientists have not been able to find out effective treatments for it.

People at high risk of having AIDS are commercial sex workers, those who practice free sex, those who use needles in body piercing and drug abuse.

AIDS is deadly. Medical treatments are costly and do not cure the disease. They only slow down or minimize complications and serve as life sustaining measures. To prevent it, we have to live a healthy life, avoid pre marital sex, free sex, body piercing, and say no to drugs.