The early stage of AIDS 

HIV is a virus spread through body fluids that affects specific cells of the immune system, called CD4 cells, or T cells. Over time, HIV can destroy so many of these cells that the body cannot fight of infection leads to AIDS.  

What is AIDS?

AIDS stands for acquired immunenodeficiency syndrome is the the final stage of HIV disease, which causes severe damage to the immune system.

How does one inquire AIDS? 

Sexual contact
Injection drug use
Pregnancy, childbirth, and breast feeding
Occupational exposure 
Blood transfusion/Organ transplant

AIDS- Signs and Symptoms

Picture
  • Diarrhea that lasts for more than a week.
  • Dry cough
  • Memory loss, depression and neurological disorders
  • Pneumonia
  • Unexplained fatigue
  • Rapid weight loss
  • Red, brown, pink or purplish blotches on or under the skin or inside the mouth, nose or eyelids 
  • Swollen lymph glands in the armpits, groin, or neck

Affect on the Immune Sytem

 People with AIDS have a weaker  immune systems, they are more likely to be infected. It is called Opportunistic infections which is caused by organisms that typically do not cause disease in healthy people but affect people with damaged immune systems. There are many symptoms of Opportunistic infections: Coma, Coughing/shortness of breath, extreme fatigue, difficulty or painful swallowing and many more.

People who are affected

  • 35 million people worldwide are currently living with HIV/AIDS.
  • 32 million children worldwide are living with HIV. Most of these children were either infected by their HIV-positive mothers during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding.
Sources
"AIDS." AIDS. The Regents of The University of California. Web. 15 Dec. 2014

"Welcome to AIDS.gov." Welcome to AIDS.gov. U.S Department of Health & Human Services. Web. 11 Dec. 2014.