HIV and AIDS

 What is AIDS?

AIDS is caused by HIV. It affects your immune system (the body's defense system), making you sick more easily. HIV is spread during sex, but condoms help protect you.

HIV is an infection that can cause AIDS.

HIV (known as HIV) means human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It's the virus that can cause AIDS. HIV destroys certain cells of the immune system, which defends your body from disease and helps us stay healthy. When HIV weakens your immune system, you're more likely to become very ill or die from illnesses that your body would normally be able to fight.

In the United States, about a million people living with HIV, and every year, there are more than 38,000 new people infected. Most people with HIV have no symptoms for many years and feel fine, so they may not even know they are infected.

Once you get HIV, the virus stays in your body for life. There is no cure for HIV, but there are drugs that can help keep you healthy. HIV drugs make you less likely - or sometimes none at all - to get other people. According to studies, taking HIV medications as prescribed can significantly reduce the quantity of HIV in your blood, to the point where it may not even show up on a test. This implies you won't catch HIV when you have sex if this happens.

Treatment for HIV is very important, and it is, therefore, essential to get tested. People who have HIV and receive treatment can stay healthy, live for many years, and avoid infecting other people. However, without treatment, HIV can cause AIDS.

What is the difference between HIV and AIDS?

HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. AIDS means acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. HIV and AIDS are not the same. People who have HIV do not always have AIDS.

HIV is a virus that is passed from one person to the next. HIV kills an essential kind of immune cell (the CD4 or T-cell) that protects us against infection over time. When you don't have enough CD4 cells, your body is unable to fight infections as effectively as it could.

AIDS is a disease caused by the immune system being damaged by HIV. When a person contracts severe infections or has a low number of CD4 cells, they are diagnosed with AIDS. AIDS is the most severe form of HIV, and it finally leads to death.

For someone with HIV to develop AIDS, it usually takes 10 years if they don't get treatment. The treatment makes the damage caused by the virus slower and can help people stay healthy for many years.

How is HIV spread?

HIV is found in semen (milk), vaginal fluids, anal mucus, blood, and human milk. The virus enters your body through cuts or wounds in the skin and mucous membranes (such as the inside of the vagina, rectum, and penis opening). You can get HIV from:

• having vaginal or anal sex
• share needles or syringes to inject drugs, pierce your body (piercings), tattoos, etc.
• To be pinned with a needle that has HIV-infected blood
• have open wounds or blisters that come into contact with HIV-infected blood, semen (milk), or vaginal fluids

HIV is usually transmitted when you have unprotected sex. Using condoms and/or mouth latex barriers every time you have sex and don't share needles, helps protect you - and your partners. If you have HIV, getting treatment can lower and even stop your chances of infecting other people with the virus during sex. If you don't have HIV, there's also a daily-use drug (you take it every day) called PrEP, which can protect you from HIV.

HIV can also be transmitted to a baby during pregnancy, delivery (giving birth), or breastfeeding (breastfeeding). However, a person who is pregnant with HIV may take medicines that make them less likely to infect their HIV baby.

HIV is not transmitted by saliva (babas), so YOU CAN'T catch it by kissing, sharing food or drinks, or a fork or spoon. HIV is also not spread by cuddling, shaking hands, coughing, or sneezing. You also can't get infected by sitting on a restroom.

Many years ago, some people became infected with HIV by receiving transfusions of infected blood. Nowadays, donating or receiving blood in any health center is safe. Doctors, hospitals, and blood banks don't use needles more than once. They also test the blood that is donated to make sure that you do not have HIV or other infections.