STD: HIV - AIDS

WHAT IS IT?:
(Drawing of generic virus)

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome is caused by viral infection. Destroys the body's ability to fight infection.
DEFINITIVE DETAIL ABOUT THIS MOST DEVASTATING OF ALL STDs IS NOT POSSIBLE ON THIS PAGE. THIS WILL GIVE YOU AN OVERVIEW OF THE DISEASE ONLY. PLEASE LOOK THROUGH THE LINKS PAGE FOR MORE EXTENSIVE INFORMATION. YOU MAY WANT TO BEGIN AT THE NAIAD PUBLICATIONS PAGE.

CAUSE:
Human immunodeficiency virus (at least two types have been identified to date)

TRANSMISSION:
Primarily occurs during sexual activity and by sharing needles used to inject intravenous drugs. Transmitted through blood, semen, vaginal secretions or breast milk. It can also be transmitted in infected blood products to recipients of blood transfusions - this has become almost null since the testing for HIV began for all blood products.

SYMPTOMS:
FIRST APPEARANCE: HIV positive lab results (positive antibodies) take at least three - six months after exposure. AIDS may take as long as long as 10-12 years from infection to occur.
INITIAL SYMPTOMS OF HIV INFECTION:
WOMEN - Usually no initial symptoms, but may have some flu-like symptoms when sero-conversion (antibodies go from negative to positive) takes place.
MEN - Same as for women

ADVANCED SYMPTOMS AND AIDS:
WOMEN - Fevers, night sweats, weight loss, fatigue, oral yeast infections (called thrush), swollen glands (especially in the neck and armpits), multiple recurring vaginal infections (especially yeast), easily acquired PID. AIDS diagnosis is made when the white blood cell 'T' drops below 200 or one of the specific opportunistic infections is diagnosed such as Pneumpcystis carinii pneumonia.
MEN - Fevers, night sweats, weight loss, fatigue, oral yeast infections (called thrush), swollen glands (especially in the neck and armpits). AIDS diagnosis is made when the white blood cell 'T' drops below 200 or one of the specific opportunistic infections is diagnosed such as Pneumpcystis carinii pneumonia.

IT IS ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL THAT PARTNERS BE NOTIFIED IMMEDIATELY SO THEY CAN SEEK INTERVENTION IF THEY ARE POSITIVE.

TESTS:
Blood test 3-6 months after possible exposure. Test results may not be positive for several years (reported) after exposure to an infected partner. Positive results are ALWAYS repeated and a second test is also done.

TREATMENT:
There is no treatment. However, suppressive drugs such as AZT and others have helped prolong both the length and quality of life. Once a diagnosis of HIV is made, patients should be placed on these drugs. They appear to lengthen the time of positive infection to the full blown AIDS . Proper diet, exercise, meditation, visualizations, proper sleep, abstinence from alcohol and drug abuse, acupuncture, herbal therapy, and scrupulous care to decrease exposure to other infections have all helped to slow the progression of this disease.

CURABLE:
NO, will lead to eventual death

LIFE TIME EFFECTS FOR YOU:
Life threatening opportunistic infections develop. AZT and other drugs are prolonging both the length and quality of life. Infected Moms can pass this to babies, but taking some of the suppressive drugs have decreased the transmission rate. There is no cure and the eventual end is death. On-going research is underway to develop a vaccine and a cure.

COMMENTS:
AIDS was first reported in the United States in 1981. The virus destroys the body's ability to fight off infection. An estimated 900,000 to 1,000,000 people in the United States are currently infected with HIV. These people are susceptible to other life-threatening diseases and to some cancers.

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