This document provides an overview of HIV/AIDS, including what it is, when the first cases were reported, how it is transmitted, prevention methods, testing, signs and symptoms, treatment, ongoing research efforts, global statistics, and common myths. It defines HIV as a virus that attacks the immune system and can lead to AIDS if not treated. The first official reporting of AIDS cases occurred in 1981 in the US. HIV lives in certain body fluids like blood, semen, pre-seminal fluid, breast milk, vaginal fluids, and rectal fluids. Prevention methods include safer sex practices, safer drug use, testing and early treatment.
2. Table of contents
• What is HIV/AIDS?
• When was the first AIDS?
• How Do You Get HIV or AIDS?
• Prevention
• Testing
• Signs & Symptoms
• Treatment
• Research
• Global Statistics
• Myths
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3. What is HIV/AIDS?
H – Human
I – Immunodeficiency
V – Virus
We know that HIV can hide for long periods of time in the cells
of your body and that it attacks a key part of your immune
system.
HIV infection can lead to AIDS.
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4. When was the first AIDS?
1981
On June 5, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) publish a Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
(MMWR).
This edition of the MMWR marks the first official reporting of
what will become known as the AIDS epidemic.
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5. How Do You Get HIV or AIDS?
HIV is found in specific human body fluids. If any of those fluids
enter your body, you can become infected with HIV.
Which Body Fluids Contain HIV?
HIV lives and reproduces in blood and other body fluids. We know
that the following fluids can contain high levels of HIV:
•Blood
•Semen (cum)
•Pre-seminal fluid (pre-cum)
•Breast milk
•Vaginal fluids
•Rectal (anal) mucous
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8. Signs & Symptoms
Many people who are HIV-positive do
not have symptoms of HIV infection.
When HIV infection progresses to
AIDS, many people begin to suffer
from:
• fatigue
• diarrhea
• nausea
• vomiting
• fever
• chills
• night sweats
• and even wasting syndrome at late 8
stages.
9. Treatment
People who are infected with HIV are treated with antiretroviral
therapy (ART).
There are other things that will help keep your immune system
healthy:
• A well-balanced and nutritious diet
• Daily exercise
• Plenty of rest
• Regular check-ups with your doctor and dentist
• Avoiding use of tobacco, alcohol or illicit drugs
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10. Research
• A foundation of all HIV/AIDS
research is scientific inquiry into the
basic biology of HIV, the body’s
immune response to HIV infection,
and potential targets for prevention
and therapeutic strategies.
• The National Institute of Allergy and
Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is
working to find new and more
effective therapeutic products, drug
classes, and combinations.
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11. Global Statistics
• 33.4 million are currently living with HIV/AIDS.
• More than 25 million people have died of AIDS worldwide since
1981.
• In 2008, 2 million people died due to HIV/AIDS, and another 2.7
million were newly infected.
• While cases have been reported in all regions of the world, almost
all those living with HIV (97%) reside in low- and middle-income
countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.
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12. Myths
Myth: A person with HIV or AIDS looks sick.
Truth: People with HIV infection often don’t
look or feel sick.
Myth: Only gay people get HIV/AIDS.
Truth: When the epidemic began in the early
1980s, the first cases of HIV and AIDS were
found among urban men who had sex with men
(MSM). Today, however, the picture of the
epidemic looks very different.
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