Stat: About 1 out of every 250 people in the United States carries the HIV virus according to current estimates, and women are the group hardest hit globally by HIV and AIDS.
What is it exactly? HIV is a virus that destroys the immune system and thus weakens the body's ability to fight disease and infection, even common infections like flus and colds. HIV usually progresses to AIDS. This makes HIV the most dangerous sexually transmitted infection today. It is the fifth leading cause of death for the young under 40 in the United States. At this time, no one has been cured of HIV or AIDS.
About how many people have it? About 40,000 people in the United States become infected with HIV every year.
How is it spread? Through body fluids (namely blood, semen, penile and vaginal secretions and breast milk -- HIV can be present in saliva, but kissing and other general exposures to saliva are not known to present risks of transmission) through anal and vaginal intercourse or oral sex, shared needles used for injecting IV drugs or accidental pricks with infected needles, blood transfusions, childbirth or breastfeeding.
What are its symptoms? Initial or acute infection may have symptoms that resemble mononucleosis or the flu within 2 to 4 weeks of exposure, but in many people, HIV infection does not show any symptoms for extended periods of time, and for some, is asymptomatic for as long as 20 years.
For those who experience symptoms, they may inluce: sore throat or mouth sores, aching or stiff muscles or joints, headaches, diarrhea, swollen glands, fevers, persistent fatigue or tiredness, rashes or excema, yeast infections, rapid weight loss or chronic PID.
How is it diagnosed? By a blood test which screens for antibodies. Because it can take up to three months or more of the antibodies to appear, a negative test should always be reapeated, and an annual or semi-annual HIV screening is advised.
Is it treatable? Yes, through an intensive combination of antiviral drugs and consistent health care. HIV treatment acts to try and protect the immune system from further infection, and to delay the progression to AIDS.
Is it curable? There is no cure for HIV.
Can it effect fertility? It cannot affect fertility, but is very commonly transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy or childbirth.
Can it cause death? Any severe compromise of the immune system can cause death, and if HIV infection becomes acute or progresses to become AIDS, it is fatal. Most HIV infections do progress to AIDS.
How can we protect against it? By using condoms ALWAYS for vaginal intercourse, anal intercourse or oral sex. HIV can also be prevented by decreasing your number of sexual partners, by avoiding high-risk sexual practices like anal sex or oral-anal sex or unprotected vaginal or oral sex, by avoiding sex with those who use intravenous drugs and by not participating in IV drug use yourself, by disallowing urine to come into contact with the mouth, anus, eyes, or open cuts or sores, and by getting annual or semi-annual HIV screenings, and insisting your partners do likewise.
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