What is HIV?
H – Human
I – Immunodeficiency
V – Virus
This virus can only infect human beings. HIV weakens your immune system by destroying the important cells that fight disease and infection. The virus can only reproduce itself by taking over a cell in the body of the person. A "deficient" immune system can't protect you. HIV is a lot like other viruses, but there is a big difference. Over time, your immune system can clear most viruses out of your body but that isn't the case with HIV, the human immune system can't seem to get rid of it.
HIV can hide for long periods of time in the cells of your body and it attacks a key part of your immune system, your CD4 cells or T-Cells. Your body has to have these cells to fight infections and disease, but HIV invades them and uses them to make more copies of itself, then destroys these cells.
HIV can destroy so many of your CD4 cells that your body can't fight infections and diseases anymore, when that happens, the HIV infection can lead to AIDS.
I – Immunodeficiency
V – Virus
This virus can only infect human beings. HIV weakens your immune system by destroying the important cells that fight disease and infection. The virus can only reproduce itself by taking over a cell in the body of the person. A "deficient" immune system can't protect you. HIV is a lot like other viruses, but there is a big difference. Over time, your immune system can clear most viruses out of your body but that isn't the case with HIV, the human immune system can't seem to get rid of it.
HIV can hide for long periods of time in the cells of your body and it attacks a key part of your immune system, your CD4 cells or T-Cells. Your body has to have these cells to fight infections and disease, but HIV invades them and uses them to make more copies of itself, then destroys these cells.
HIV can destroy so many of your CD4 cells that your body can't fight infections and diseases anymore, when that happens, the HIV infection can lead to AIDS.
What is AIDS?
A – Acquired
I – Immuno
D – Deficiency
S – Syndrome
AIDS is not something you inherit from your parents. Your body's immune system includes all the organs and cells that work to fight off infection or disease. You can get AIDS when your immune system isn't working the way it should or if it is deficient. A syndrome is signs of disease and a collection of symptoms. AIDS is a syndrome, rather than a single disease, because it is a complex illness.
AIDS is the final stage of HIV infection, people at this stage of HIV disease have badly damaged immune systems, which put them at risk for opportunistic infections. If you have AIDS, you will need medical intervention and treatment to prevent death.
I – Immuno
D – Deficiency
S – Syndrome
AIDS is not something you inherit from your parents. Your body's immune system includes all the organs and cells that work to fight off infection or disease. You can get AIDS when your immune system isn't working the way it should or if it is deficient. A syndrome is signs of disease and a collection of symptoms. AIDS is a syndrome, rather than a single disease, because it is a complex illness.
AIDS is the final stage of HIV infection, people at this stage of HIV disease have badly damaged immune systems, which put them at risk for opportunistic infections. If you have AIDS, you will need medical intervention and treatment to prevent death.
HOW DO YOU GET HIV OR AIDS?
HIV is found in specific human body fluids, if any of those fluids enter your body then you can become infected with HIV.
SIGNS & SYMPTOMS
Many people who are HIV positive do not have symptoms of the infection. Sometimes people living with HIV go through periods of being sick and then they feel fine.
The symptoms for "The worst flu ever" can include:
-Fever
-Chills
-Rash
-Night sweats
-Muscle aches
-Sore throat
-Fatigue
-Swollen lymph nodes
-Ulcers in the mouth
The symptoms for "The worst flu ever" can include:
-Fever
-Chills
-Rash
-Night sweats
-Muscle aches
-Sore throat
-Fatigue
-Swollen lymph nodes
-Ulcers in the mouth
Primary Sources
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/aids-hiv.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db04.pdf
http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/news/health/diseasesconditionsandhealthtopics/aids/index.html
ww.naturalnews.com/AIDS.html
http://www.everydayhealth.com/hiv-aids/hiv-aids-articles.aspx
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db04.pdf
http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/news/health/diseasesconditionsandhealthtopics/aids/index.html
ww.naturalnews.com/AIDS.html
http://www.everydayhealth.com/hiv-aids/hiv-aids-articles.aspx
Secondary Sources
http://aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/
http://www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-HIVAIDS.aspx
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/sexual_health/stis_hivaids.shtml
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/HIV/Pages/Introduction.aspx
http://greaterthanone.org/about/hivaids-facts.html
http://www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-HIVAIDS.aspx
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/sexual_health/stis_hivaids.shtml
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/HIV/Pages/Introduction.aspx
http://greaterthanone.org/about/hivaids-facts.html