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HIV and AIDS
Disease Information
What is HIV?
HIV (human immunodeficiency
virus) is the virus that causes
AIDS.
How does HIV spread?
This virus may be passed from
one person to another through
sexual and blood-to-blood contact. This happens when a person’s infected semen, vaginal
fluids or blood come in contact
with an uninfected person’s
broken skin or mucous membranes. A mucous membrane is wet, thin tissue found in certain openings to the
human body. These can include the mouth, eyes, nose,
vagina, rectum and opening of the penis. In addition,
an infected pregnant women can pass HIV to her baby
during pregnancy or delivery, as well as through breastfeeding. Some of the people who have HIV infection will
develop AIDS as a result.
The most common ways that HIV is transmitted from
one person to another is by having sex (anal, vaginal or
oral) with an HIV-infected person, by sharing needles or
injection equipment with an injection drug user who is
infected with HIV or from HIV-infected women to their
babies before or during birth or through breast-feeding
after birth.
HIV also can be transmitted by receiving infected blood.
However, since 1985, all donated blood in the United
States has been tested for HIV. The risk of infection
through transfusion of blood or blood products is now
extremely low.1
What is AIDS?
AIDS stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome.
AIDS is a disease caused by the HIV virus that weakens
the immune system. AIDS can include the development
of certain infections and/or cancers and a decrease in the
number of certain cells in a person’s immune system. A
diagnosis of AIDS is made by a physician using specific
clinical or laboratory standards.2
How many people die from AIDS?
In the U.S., the most recent data available estimates
number of people living with HIV/AIDS through 2006
is 1,106,0003 with 583,298 cumulative deaths reported
through 2007.4 According to the Joint United Nations
Programme on HIV/AIDS, more than 2.0 million people
world-wide died of AIDS and related illnesses and 33.4
million are now living with HIV or AIDS as of 2008. An
additional 2.7 million people acquired HIV in 2008.5
AIDS has killed more than 25 million people since it
was first recognized in 1981, making it one of the most
destructive epidemics in recorded history.
How does HIV cause AIDS?
HIV destroys a certain kind of blood cell (CD4+ T cells)
which is crucial to the normal function of the human
immune system. Studies of thousands of people have
shown that most people infected with HIV carry the virus
for many years before enough damage is done to the
immune system for AIDS to develop.
The HIV virus causes AIDS,
a routinely fatal disease.
What are the symptoms of HIV?
The only way to know if you are infected is to be tested for
HIV. You cannot rely on symptoms, because they are similar to those of many other diseases. Many people who
are infected with HIV do not have any symptoms at all
for years. The following
may be warning signs of
infection with HIV: rapid
weight loss, dry cough,
recurring fever or profuse night sweats, profound and unexplained
fatigue, swollen lymph
glands in the armpits,
groin or neck, diarrhea
that lasts for more than
a week, white spots or
unusual blemishes on
the tongue, in the mouth
or in the throat, pneumonia, red, brown, pink
or purplish blotches on or under the skin or inside the
mouth, nose or eyelids, memory loss, depression and
other neurological disorders.6
What is the connection between HIV and
other STDs?
Having a sexually transmitted disease (STD) can
increase a person’s risk of becoming infected with HIV,
whether the STD causes open sores or breaks in the skin
(like syphilis, herpes and chancroid) or does not cause
breaks in the skin (like chlamydia and gonorrhea).
If the STD infection causes irritation of the skin, breaks
or sores may make it easier for HIV to enter the body
during sexual contact. Even when the STD causes no
breaks or open sores, the infection can stimulate an
immune response in the genital area that can make HIV
transmission more likely. In addition, if an HIV-infected
person is also infected with another STD, that person
is two to five times more likely than other HIV-infected
persons to transmit HIV through sexual contact.7
How is HIV diagnosed?
A standard blood screening test (called EIA or enzyme
immunoassay) is used to detect the presence of antibodies to HIV. Results take several days to several weeks.
There are also tests that use oral fluids or urine to test
for HIV. A rapid test is now available which takes only
20-60 minutes. All reactive test results (meaning possibly
positive) must be followed up with another type of test
to confirm the presence of HIV.8
When should testing be done?
The tests commonly used to detect HIV infection are
actually looking for antibodies produced by an individual’s immune system when they are exposed to HIV. Most
people will develop enough antibodies to test for within
two to eight weeks (the average is 25 days). Ninety seven
percent will develop antibodies in the first three months
following the time of their infection. In very rare cases, it
can take up to six months to develop antibodies to HIV.
The CDC is now recommending testing for patients in
all healthcare settings unless the patient declines. It also
recommends routine prenatal screening.9
What about a positive test result?
Prompt medical care may delay the onset of AIDS and
prevent some life-threatening conditions. A licensed
health care provider with experience in treating HIV
should be seen, even if there are no symptoms. There
are now many medications to treat HIV infection. A TB
(tuberculosis) test should be done. TB infection can be
present without showing any symptoms. Undetected
TB can cause serious illness, but it can be successfully
treated if caught early. Smoking cigarettes, drinking too
much alcohol or using illegal drugs (such as cocaine) can
weaken the immune system.
What about tattoos, shaking hands,
hugging, toilets, sneezing and coughing?
A risk of HIV transmission does exist during body piercing or tattooing if instruments contaminated with
blood are not sterilized or disinfected between clients.
However, HIV is not transmitted by day-to-day contact
in the workplace, schools or social settings. HIV is not
transmitted through shaking hands, hugging or a casual
kiss. HIV infection does not spread from a toilet seat, a
drinking fountain, a door knob, dishes, drinking glasses,
food or pets.10
How can HIV be prevented?
HIV, and resulting AIDS, is the most deadly of the STDs.
Condoms do not provide complete protection from
any STD. Infection can occur in both males and females
whether or not a condom is used.
It has been determined that condoms provide an 85%
reduction in the risk of HIV/AIDS transmission when used
every time and using the correct procedure during vaginal intecourse.11 Using condoms still leaves a 15% risk
of HIV infection compared to not using condoms at all.
In addition, the HIV/AIDS virus can also spread through
oral and anal sex. The HIV virus causes AIDS, a routinely
fatal disease.
The surest way to avoid infection with any
sexually transmitted disease, including
HIV/AIDS, is to practice sexual abstinence
(abstain from any sexual contact) while
single. If you marry, select a partner who
is not infected with an STD and remain
sexually faithful during marriage.
Sources and Resources
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention,
Divisions of HIV/AIDS Prevention, HIV/AIDS, Questions and Answers, How is HIV passed from
one person to another? found at: http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/qa/qa16.htm, accessed
2-17-2010.
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention,
Divisions of HIV/AIDS Prevention, HIV/AIDS, Basic Information, found at: http://www.cdc.gov/
hiv/topics/basic/index.htm, accessed 2-17-2010.
3. MMWR Mortality and Morbidity Weekly Report. October 3, 2008, Vol. 57, No. 39. page
1073, found at: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5739a2.htm, accessed
2-17-2010.
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention,
Divisions of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Basic Statistics, found at: http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/
surveillance/basic.htm accessed 2-17-2010.
5. Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) and World Health Organization
(WHO) 2007. AIDS Epidemic Update 2008, found at: http://data.unaids.org/pub/Report/2009/
JC1700_Epi_Update_2009_en.pdf, accessed 2-17-2010.
6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention, Divisions of HIV/AIDS Prevention, HIV/AIDS, Questions and Answers, How can I tell if I’m
infected with HIV? What are the symptoms? found at: http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/qa/
qa5.htm, accessed 2-17-2010.
7. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention,
Divisions of HIV/AIDS Prevention, HIV/AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, HIV/AIDS &STDs,
The Role of STD Detection and Treatment in HIV Prevention - CDC Fact Sheet, found at: http://
www.cdc.gov/STD/hiv/STDFact-STD&HIV.htm, accessed 2-17-2010.
8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention, Divisions of HIV/AIDS Prevention, HIV/AIDS, Testing, Questions and Answers, How do
HIV tests work? found at: http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/testing/resources/qa/tests_work.
htm#screening, accessed 2-17-2010.
9. MMWR Mortality and Morbidity Weekly Report. September 22, 2006, Vol. 55, No. RR14,
page 1-17, Revised Recommendations for HIV Testing of Adults, Adolescents, and Pregnant
Women in Health-Care Settings, found at: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/
rr5514a1.htm, accessed 2-17-2010.
10. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention, Divisions of HIV/AIDS Prevention, HIV/AIDS, Fact Sheets, HIV and its transmission, found
at: http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/factsheets/transmission.htm, accessed 2-17-2010.
11. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Workshop Summary: Scientific Evidence on Condom Effectiveness for Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Prevention. Herndon,
VA: Hyatt Dulles Airport, June 12-13, 2000 and the follow-up report: Fact Sheet for Public Health
Personnel, Male Latex Condoms and Sexually Transmitted Diseases, found at: http://www.cdc.
gov/nchstp/od/latex.htm, accessed 2-17-2010.
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HIV/AIDS
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