HIV/AIDS By Milly and Harriet

Causes and Effects Caused by the human immunodeficiency virus The virus enters the body and may remain inactive, this is known as being HIV positive When the virus becomes active it attacks and destroys cells in the immune system. These cells are responsible for preventing infection. If they are destroyed their ability to fight infection is reduced, your body is then unable to defend against any pathogens that enter your body and a range of opportunistic infections can be contracted. It is these diseases contracted that kill a person with HIV AIDS- Acquired immune defiency syndrome

Symptoms Symptoms early after infection- acute HIV Headache Fever Rash Diarrhoea Muscle and joint pain Sore throat Swollen lymph nodes Rapid weight loss Poor appetite Numbness Depression Confusion Symptoms later on in the infected body Contraction of other diseases due to low immune system, this can occur anywhere between 2 weeks and 20 years after the middle stage of infection

Transmission of HIV Use of unsterilized surgical equipment Exchange of bodily fluids; such as blood to blood contact Unprotected sexual intercourse Accidents such as needle stick Sharing of hypodermic needles Unscreened blood transfusion Across the placenta during childbirth From mother to baby during breast feeding

Global Impact In 2008 about 2 million people died of AIDS, 33.4 million were living with HIV and 2.7 million people were newly infected with the virus. The impact of HIV/AIDS on women and girls has been particularly devastating. Women and girls now comprise 50 percent of those aged 15 and older living with HIV The impact of HIV/AIDS on children and young people is a severe and growing problem. In 2008, 430,000 children under age 15 were infected with HIV and 270,000 died of AIDS. In addition, about 15 million children have lost one or both parents due to the disease. 95% of the global total of people with HIV live in developing countries

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