HIV is a human immunodeficiency virus which kills body cells aimed at helping people combat with different kinds of viruses. Human body is protected by the immune system which helps fight with viruses and illnesses. HIV destroys this system. AIDS is an acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, a disease a person gets when his/her body is already destroyed by HIV. A person begins to get sick too often and as a result he/she can die (HIV and AIDS, 2007).
Symptoms
There are no specific symptoms for HIV/AIDS like while fewer, chicken pox, etc. A person can live for many years without being aware of a diagnosis. The only way to get to know about the infection is to get tested (Stolley & Glass, 2009).
Risk factors for youth to be infected in HIV/AIDS (truth and false)
The sources of HIV/AIDS are as follows:
- unprotected sex with a person who is infected with HIV,
- sexual promiscuity,
- sharing needles, syringes, and other drug equipment with a person infected with HIV,
- from blood transfusion before 1985. But, all blood has been tested for HIV since that time and there is no such option (HIV and AIDS, 2007).
You cannot be infected the following in cases:
- working or communicating with infected people,
- from bites or stings of insects,
- from donating blood,
- closed-mouthed kiss,
- other everyday stuff, like clothes, phones, toilet seats, etc (HIV and AIDS, 2007).
Statistics about HIV/AIDS
Having considered the latest statistical information about the cases of HIV and AIDS globally, the following data has been observed (by the end of 2009). Approximately 33.3 million adults lived with HIV/AIDS. Among them 30.8 million were adults (15.9 million comprised women) and 2.5 million were children. 2.6 million of people were newly infected in 2009. Only 2.2 million were adults. About 1.8 million people died of AIDS in 2009 and 16.6 million children remained orphans because of their infection (Worldwide HIV & AIDS Statistics, 2010). It should be mentioned that 25% of people do not know that they are infected with HIV (Stolley & Glass, 2009).
Risk factors for infants to get infected with HIV/AIDS
The rate of infants’ HIV/AIDS infection has increased recently. The main source of HIV/AIDS transmission with infants is from HIV-positive mothers to children. There are three ways for infection, prenatally, during the process of child birth, and via breast milk (Benson & Haith, 2009).
HIV/AIDS prevention
The following pieces of advice may help prevent people from HIV/AIDS:
- People must not share needles and syringes for any purposes as well as other equipment for preparing drugs. Needles and syringes must be used only once.
- People are to abstain from sexual promiscuity or use condoms to avoid infection; however, this method does not offer 100% guarantee to be protected from infection. Condoms should be correctly used.
- It is likely to have mutually monogamous relationships with HIV/AIDS tested person.
- People must use their personal razors and toothbrushes, and never share them.
- Women should get tested for HIV if they plan to have a baby or they have already been pregnant. There is a special drug treatment that can reduce the chances of a baby to be infected in case of positive results (HIV and AIDS, 2007).
Reference List
Benson, J. B. & Haith, M. M. (2009). Diseases and Disorders in Infancy and Early Childhood. New York: Academic Press.
HIV and AIDS: Are You at Risk? (2007). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web.
Stolley, K. S. & Glass, J. E. (2009). HIV/AIDS. New York: ABC-CLIO.
Worldwide HIV & AIDS Statistics. (2010). Avert. Web.