1. 1 What is HIV/AIDS? HIV stands for: H uman I mmunodeficiency V irus AIDS stands for: A cquired I mmune D eficiency S yndrome

2. 2 What is HIV/AIDS? AIDS is caused by the HIV virus. 16,000 HIV viruses can fit on a pinhead.

3. 3 © Teaching-aoids at low cost

4. 4 What is HIV/AIDS? Viruses multiply inside body cells & cause illness. Other viruses which cause illness in humans: –common cold –polio –measles –hepatitis –SARS

5. 5 The immune system army

6. 6 What is the immune system? The immune system is the body’s defense system Uses white blood cells & special proteins to fight foreign organisms Is controlled by specialized white blood cells called CD4 cells Proteins called antibodies are manufactured against specific organisms

7. 7 Vaccines Vaccines prepare the immune system to fight infections Examples: measles, polio, hepatitis A and B No vaccine yet for viruses like common cold, SARS and HIV

8. 8 How does HIV affect the immune system? HIV specifically attacks the CD4 cells The HIV antibodies produced by the immune system are unable to overcome the infection Over time, HIV progressively weakens the immune system The person becomes “immunodeficient” A weak immune system can no longer effectively defend the body

9. 9 What happens when the immune system is weakened? The body becomes vulnerable to a variety of infections & cancers Infections that take advantage of a weakened immune system are “opportunistic infections” Eventually the immune system is so weak that the body is overwhelmed by infections and/or cancers, and the person dies

10. 10 What is HIV/AIDS? HIV attacks the immune system of humans. HUMAN IMMUNO deficiency virus

11. 11 What is AIDS? Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome A “syndrome” is a group of symptoms & signs associated with the same underlying condition The variety of opportunistic infections & cancers cause a variety of symptoms & signs This group of illnesses with their symptoms & signs makes up the syndrome “AIDS”

12. 12 What is the difference between “having HIV” and “having AIDS” ? When the HIV virus enters the body, the person “has HIV” HIV is diagnosed by a blood test When the immune system is severely weakened by HIV, resulting in severe opportunistic infections, the person “has AIDS” There are specific criteria for making the diagnosis of AIDS

13. 13 What is the difference between HIV-1 and HIV-2? HIV-1 & HIV-2 are different types of the HIV virus Both are transmitted in the same ways HIV-2 is less infectious People with HIV-2 remain healthy for a longer time after infection HIV-2 is common in West Africa HIV-1 is the most common type worldwide

14. 14 Where did HIV come from? First known case of HIV: 1959 in the DRC Sometimes viruses can transfer between species HIV-1 probably transferred to humans from chimpanzees in Central Africa HIV-2 probably transferred to humans from the Sooty Mangabey monkey in West Africa

15. 15 When was HIV/AIDS “discovered”? The AIDS syndrome was first recognized as a new disease in 1981 in the USA The HIV-1 virus was first identified in 1983 in the USA The HIV-2 virus was first identified in 1983 in France

16. 16 FAQs Does HIV really exist? Does HIV really cause AIDS?