HIV/AIDS

• HIV/AIDS Overview
• HIV/AIDS Causes
• HIV/AIDS Symptoms
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Exams and Tests
• HIV/AIDS Treatment
• Medications
• Next Steps
• Follow-up
• Prevention
• Outlook
• Multimedia
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Authors and Editors
• Related HIV articles:
  HIV - on WebMD

HIV - on MedicineNet

HIV/AIDS Overview

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection has now spread to every country in the world and has infected more than 40 million people worldwide as of the end of 2003. More than 1.1 million people in the United States have been infected with HIV. The scourge of HIV has been particularly devastating in Sub-Saharan Africa. The proportion of adult women among those infected with HIV is increasing.

• HIV: A lentivirus of a subgroup of retroviruses, HIV causes AIDS. The virus kills or damages cells of the body’s immune system. HIV progressively destroys the body’s ability to fight infections and certain cancers. People diagnosed with AIDS may develop life-threatening diseases from viruses or bacteria that rarely make healthy people sick. These infections are called opportunistic infections.

• AIDS: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome was first recognized in 1981 in New York City. The epidemic is growing most rapidly among minority populations. The virus was identified in 1983. A diagnostic blood test was developed in 1985.

Research on HIV infection includes the development and testing of HIV vaccines and new therapies for the disease and its associated conditions. Currently, 28 HIV vaccines are being tested on humans, and many drugs for HIV- or AIDS-associated infections are either being developed or tested. Researchers are also investigating how HIV damages the immune system and are trying to trace how the disease progresses in different people.

• Scientists are testing chemical barriers that can be used during sex to prevent HIV transmission. There are multiple public health programs to explain methods to prevent HIV transmission. These include educating the public about the dangers of sexually transmitted diseases and modifying behavioral risks.
  
  
• The present research and preventive efforts are probably not sufficient to curb this modern calamity. A lot more commitment from the governments of various countries is required to enhance research efforts and implement the strategies to treat and prevent HIV infection.