HIV/AIDS

What is it?
HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. HIV causes AIDS, or acquired immune deficiency syndrome. HIV and AIDS attack the body's immune system, making it difficult to fight off infections and diseases.

How you get it
HIV is passed from an infected person through blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and breast milk.

How you know you have it?
HIV infection itself usually has no symptoms so at first; most people who are infected with HIV probably won't realize that they have it. Over time people may start to feel some of the symptoms of AIDS like fever, chills, heavy sweats, chronic fatigue, appetite or weight loss, muscle and joint pain, long-lasting sore throat, swollen glands, diarrhea, yeast infections, or skin sores.

How to test for it ?
The only way to know for sure whether you are infected with HIV is to get tested for it. Your doctor can test your blood or urine. In order for the test to be accurate, you have to wait 3 months from the last time you think you could have been exposed to HIV.

How to treat it?
There is no cure for HIV or AIDS. However, there are a number of medicines that can help people with HIV/AIDS stay healthy for longer periods of time.

What it can do to you?
HIV/AIDS can be a fatal disease. It weakens the body's defenses against illness. Most people who have HIV will develop AIDS, which means that they will get serious, and possibly fatal, diseases.