What does HIV stand for?

H	Human: a person's body
I	Immunodeficiency: When the immune system lacks some elements and breaks down
V	Virus: a group of tiny cells that multiply in the body and causes diseases like chicken Pox

HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. When HIV enters a person's body it can attack the immune system. It is harmful to the body because it can no longer fight to protect the body from common infections. When this happens the body is weakened and is no longer able to fight diseases that can make you sick.

What does AIDS stand for?

A	Acquired: something you are given or get
I	Immuno-: refers to the part of the body that keeps us healthy
D	Deficiency: lacking or not enough
S	Syndrome: a group of diseases

AIDS is Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, a condition that results from HIV infection.

What is the difference between HIV and AIDS?

HIV attacks the body's immune system and allows infections to grow that under normal circumstances would be eliminated. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. AIDS is the condition that results from HIV infection. A person is diagnosed with AIDS when the measurement of their immune system is lower than 200 and he/she acquires an infection seen most often in people with HIV. These are called opportunistic infections. By the time people with HIV develop AIDS, the virus has damaged their immune system. Thus, they are vulnerable to diseases that most healthy people usually resist or control, such as certain pneumonias and thrush, or recurrences of childhood infections. They may also suffer from cancers rarely found among people with healthy body defenses. Because the virus can enter the brain and other organs throughout the body, people with AIDS may have trouble with movement, memory and body functions.

What kind of diseases do people with AIDS get?

The most common diseases are opportunistic infections. When the body is not healthy, infections will move thought-out the body easily. Tuberculosis, pneumonia and some cancers are common when people get AIDS. People with AIDS sometimes lose weight and have difficulty maintaining body weight, have difficulty remembering things and, sometimes have a hard time doing simple task.

Is there a cure for AIDS?

Thus far there is no cure for AIDS. Researchers are working daily to find a cure.

Can you tell if someone has HIV or AIDS?

You cannot tell just buy looking at a person if the have HIV/AIDS. People with HIV don't start "looking" sick until they begin to experience some opportunistic infections. Not all people with HIV experience wasting which is the loss of body weight and the inability to recover that weight. Unfortunately, many pictures of people with HIV are of those who are very sick and dying. These people look very thin and very sick. Most people with HIV look just like the person you see in the mirror every morning.

Who can get HIV/AIDS?

Anyone can get HIV/AIDS especially if they put themselves at risk by having unsafe sex, this includes anal, oral or vaginal sex, and sharing needles of any kind.

How long does it take for HIV infection to develop into AIDS?

When HIV enters the body, it does not immediately attack the immune system. The virus may not multiply in the body for a long while. The virus can be detected in the body in as little as a month or more than ten years before AIDS develops.

How is the HIV virus transmitted?

There are lots of rumors about how the virus is spread. The HIV virus requires the transfer of blood, semen or vaginal secretions or a mother's breast milk. These are the documented ways in which the virus is transmitted.

Can you get the HIV virus any other way?

No. you can not contract the HIV virus from coughing, shaking hands, toilet sets, touching or, even using the same glasses, plates or eating utensils. The virus is not spread through casual contact.

How do you know if you have the HIV virus?

The only way to tell if you have HIV is to have an HIV Antibody Test. EVERYONE who participates in any kind of behavior that may put them at risk for HIV infection should be tested regularly.