AIDS or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome is a very serious disease caused by Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).

A person gets AIDS when the HIV virus has damaged his body’s defenses or immune system. Once these defenses have been damaged, bacteria and viruses may enter the body, making the person very sick. So HIV information is very important for everyone and personal health care play also play important to prevent HIV.

33million people are living with HIV worldwide – Data from UNAIDS

How do you get HIV?

You can get HIV if you are in contact with certain body fluids from a person who is HIV positive.Body fluids that can transmit the virus are :
*Blood.
*Vaginal secretions.
*Seminal fluid.
*Semen.
*Breast milk.

These infected fluids can get into a person when you :
*Have sexual intercourse with someone who is HIV positive.
*Share needles or syringes with a person who is HIV positive (e.g.: for tattooing, body piercing or intravenous drug use).
*Have contact with a HIV positive person’s blood.
*Are a mother who is HIV positive and transmits the virus to your unborn child during pregnancy and childbirth or breastfeeding

You do not get HIV infection through :
*Shaking hands.
*Hugging.
*Sneezing or coughing.
*Mosquitoes bites or other insect bites.
*Swimming in a pool.
*Sharing eating utensils.

Who are at risk of getting HIV?

If you are :
*Having multiple sexual partners.
*An intravenous drug user.
*A sex worker.
*Homosexual.
*A medical personnel.

How does HIV affect the body?

HIV destroys a defense cell in the body called a CD4 helper lymphocyte.

The CD4 lymphocyte acts as a messenger to other types of immune system cells, telling them to fight against an invading organism.

The HIV attaches to these CD4 cells, it infects them and uses them as a place for multiplying. In this process, the infected cells lose their ability to fight infection.

People with AIDS are unable to fight off many infections and can also develop certain types of cancer e.g. Karposi sarcoma and lymphoma.

AIDS can affect every system in your body.