HIV / AIDS Health Education

HIV / AIDS Terms and Info HIV – Human immunodeficiency virus A virus that causes AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) Negatively affects the body’s immune system. Person’s with AIDS cannot fight off illnesses that usually are not a threat to people with healthy immune systems HIV cannot live very long outside of human body tissue. Transmission usually occurs during sexual contact with an infected person or through contact with certain body fluids of an infected person

Symptoms of HIV and AIDS Often within 3-4 weeks of exposure to HIV, an infected person experiences symptoms of: Fever, swollen lymph glands, and tiredness antibodies During that time the infected person’s immune system may start to produce antibodies. (it usually take the body 6-12 weeks to produce a detectable level of HIV antibodies) a period of many months or years without any outward signs of the disease The first symptoms of infection usually go away after a few weeks and generally will be followed by a period of many months or years without any outward signs of the disease. Many infected people look and feel fine and have no idea they have HIV. (for some the only sign of infection may be swollen lymph glands for months)

Symptoms of HIV and AIDS Cont... A person may be infected with HIV for many years before the onset of AIDS. Without treatment, it may take between 7-10 years from the time of infection until AIDS develops. A person with NO symptoms CAN still pass the infection to others through sexual contact.

AIDS Symptoms Symptoms that generally mark the onset of AIDS from HIV include: Loss of weight, constant tiredness, persistent fever and diarrhea Very low levels of certain “T Cells” As the number of T cells fall, the body becomes more susceptible to other diseases. The diseases that attack a person with a weakened immune system are called Opportunistic Diseases These Opportunistic Diseases include: tuberculosis, recurrent pneumonia, lung diseases (Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia), cancer of cervix, and a type of skin cancer (Kaposi’s sarcoma)

Transmission of HIV Individuals who are infected with HIV have the potential to pass the virus to someone else through the exchange of: blood semen vaginal secretions breast milk People with HIV ARE INFECTIOUS whether or not they have symptoms of disease

Transmission of HIV Cont.. There are four main ways that HIV can be passed from person to person: Through ANY form of sexual intercourse with an infected person Through shared needles or syringes that are contaminated with the blood of an infected person Through contact with blood or blood parts of an infected person From an infected mother or child, either during pregnancy, during birth, or by breast-feeding

Prevention People can eliminate their risk of HIV infection by refraining from sexual intercourse outside of marriage and by not injecting illegal drugs Mothers with HIV should not breast-feed their babies Is blood that is collected and used in transfusion tested for HIV? YES How does a person get tested for HIV? People who think that they may be infected with HIV should have their blood tested at a clinic or by a private physician. The blood is tested to detect HIV antibodies…. If they are detected….. More tests are done to verify the results

Preventative Behaviors Avoiding contact with Blood or Body Fluids Knowing Personal Histories Having Protected Sex and/or Abstinence Avoiding Drugs Getting Checkups Acting Responsibly (notification)

Treatment for HIV HIV infection and AIDS cannot be completely cured. Some treatments can add many years to the patient’s life. As with any fatal disease, persons with HIV infection and their loved ones need a lot of support to help them deal with their distress and anxiety.

Statistical Data (CDC) Number of Reported AIDS cases in Illinois from ,198 The estimated number of diagnoses of AIDS through 2002 in the United States is 886,575. Adult and adolescent AIDS cases total 877,275 with 718,002 cases in males and 159,271 cases in females. Through the same time period, 9,300 AIDS cases were estimated in children under age 13. Estimated number of deaths of persons with AIDS is 501,669, including 496,354 adults and adolescents

More Statistical Data McHenry County, Illinois ( ) (IDPH) Living AIDS cases 22 Cumulative AIDS cases 73 Lake County, Illinois (2001) (IDPH) Living AIDS cases 238 Cumulative AIDS cases 484 Cook County, Illinois (2001) (IDPH) Living AIDS cases 8277 Cumulative AIDS cases 20, news Cook County HIV cases were diagnosed in 2001 alone

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