HIV
By Esther Sim, Pranav Tetali
What is it?
- a virus that gradually attacks the immune system
- after being infected with HIV, the person's body will find it harder to fight off other infections and diseases
- the virus destroys a type of white blood cells (T-Helper Cells) and makes copies of itself inside of them
- if not treated immediately, it can develop into AIDS in 10-15 years
How to Treat it
- no cure exists
- taking anti-retroviral regimens can slow down disease's progress as well as prevent secondary infections and complications
How to Prevent it
- abstinence
- limiting number of sexual partners
- never sharing needles
- using condoms every time you have sex
Future Complications
- most complications result from having a weak immune system
- passing virus onto child during birth
- TB, Cytomegalovirus and other infections
- Lymphomas and Kaposi's sarcoma
- Wasting syndrome
- Neurological complications
- Kidney disease
Facts about HIV
- about 35 million people have HIVs
- over 1.1 million people in the US have HIV
- 1 in 6 people live with HIVs without knowing it
- over 30 million people died since 1981
- 1.7 million people died in 2011 with HIV
- every 9.5 minutes a person is diagnosed with HIV in the US
- approximately 74% of males have HIVs while 29% females have HIVs
The Science of HIV/AIDS