Images Of HIV Virus

AIDS patients

Later Signs and Symptoms of HIV/AIDS

Later Signs and Symptoms of HIV/AIDS 

  

 The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says the following signs and symptoms may be warning signs of late-stage HIV infection: 

• rapid weight loss

• dry cough      

• recurring fever or profuse night sweats

• profound and unexplained fatigue

• swollen lymph glands in the armpits, groin, or neck

• diarrhea lasting more than a week

• white spots or unusual blemishes on the tongue, in the mouth, or in the throat

• pneumonia

• red, brown, pink, or purplish blotches on or under the skin or inside the mouth, nose, or eyelids

• memory loss, depression, and other neurological disorders

HIV destroys the white blood cells that are required to fight infection. As the white cell count falls to dangerous levels, numerous infections and diseases emerge. It is at this point that a person is said to have AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome).

Early Signs and Symptoms of HIV

    Some people experience signs and symptoms of HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), as soon as they become infected, while others do not. When they occur, early signs and symptoms are often mistaken for the flu or a mild viral infection. Initial signs and symptoms of HIV include:

• Fever

• Headache                                      

• Tiredness

• Nausea

• Diarrhea

• Enlarged lymph nodes in the neck, armpits or groin

Any symptoms from becoming infected typically resolve in one to four weeks.

As you can see, the signs and symptoms of HIV infection are similar to those for many different viral infections. The only way to know for sure if you are infected with HIV is to be tested. Many people infected with HIV do not have any signs and symptoms at all for many years.

AIDS Information & Information on HIV

The Facts about AIDS and HIV

The AIDS virus, as well as HIV, has continued to be a problem since it first became prevalent in the early 1980s.  Since that time, there have been many organizations and campaigns that devote their time to educating people about these illnesses.  Still, people often have many misconceptions about HIV and AIDS.  First you need to learn what these acronyms really stand for.  HIV means Human Immunodeficiency Virus, and AIDS stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome.  Both of these health problems are terrible and deadly.  Unfortunately, scientists and doctors have yet to develop a cure.

HIV and AIDS primarily affect the immune system, although this is not usually what makes the disease fatal for people who have it. Instead, this immune system problem can make even the smallest, most common illness become deadly.  You often hear of people with AIDS or HIV dying of pneumonia or similar illnesses.  In reality, they died from pneumonia because the AIDS virus depleted their immune system so much that they could no longer fight off regular illnesses. 

It can often be hard to tell if the AIDS information you are getting is real or not.  There are people out there who will tell you that AIDS was spread by homosexual males, and that it is their fault for the outbreak.  This isn't true.  Both hetero- and homosexual people can contract the disease, and no one lies at fault.  There are also a lot of rumors about how this illness can be spread.  If you know someone with AIDS or HIV, don't be afraid to hug them or shake their hand.  AIDS can only be contracted through the blood or other bodily fluids.  This means that most people who contract the disease got it from sharing needles or having unprotected sex.  If you protect yourself and are knowledgeable about the disease, you should have an easy time of avoiding it.

Birth control like the contraceptive pill does not protect against AIDS.  The only way to do this is to completely avoid the other person's fluids.  The best method for this is the use of condoms.  Condoms do a great job of helping people avoid the virus.  Since AIDS first became a problem, there has been a lot of effort to inform people about this method of protecting yourself and others.  The more popular the use of condoms is, much less people with become affected by this disease.

While efforts in America to stop AIDs and HIV has been somewhat successful, it is currently a very bad problem in many parts of Africa.  Because of lack of awareness and proper education, people there don't know about the dangers of the disease.  Not only is it hurting the adults that currently live there, but the children born with the disease as well.

The best way to handle AIDS and HIV is to continue the awareness.  If you can, you should donate your time or money to the cause.  Every little bit helps.  This donation can go to help people all over the world, including the United States and Africa.  The more donations, help and awareness that people receive, the bigger the chance that this terrible health problem can be contained.

Donations also go to help find a cure.  Scientists and doctors are working tirelessly to find new medications that can help infected individuals.  They hope to someday find a cure so that people won't have to deal with this terrible and fatal virus any longer.  As you can see, there is a lot of effort out there by individuals to help thecause. This is an amazing thing that is important to the human race.

Aids in africa

t's easy to find all sorts of information about AIDS and HIV.  Over the years, scientists and researchers have learned a lot about the illness.  For instance, they know that it is a virus that affects the immune system.  This fact is evidenced in the name of the illness.  AIDS stands for acquired immune deficiency syndrome while HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus.  AIDS is a certain kind of deadlier HIV.  Either way, both of these are very painful.  It is important for organizations to focus on AIDS awareness so that more people know about the illness and how to prevent contracting it.

There is currently no cure for AIDS, although scientists are still trying to find one.  They are always working to find a cure and treatments for this virus.  While they haven't cured it yet, they still do a lot of help for the cause.  They have developed new medications that help people with HIV feel better.  They also help lower risk to the people around them.  These medications are called highly active antiretroviral therapy, also known as HAART.  If you are ever diagnosed as positive with AIDS, you will likely be taking many of these kinds of medications all at once.

Although it is hard to tell for sure, most scientists and historians believe that the HIV virus originates from Africa.  They see that the first instances of the terrible disease seemed to have start from there.  Not only that, but sub-Saharan Africa still has the highest population of infected people, even decades later. There are many reasons why Africa has a higher rated of AIDS sufferers, although they all stem from the fact that these countries are very poor.

You can get a lot done when it comes to AIDS awareness when you have the money.  Unfortunately, most countries in Africa just don't have the funds to start such a venture on their own.  Without this awareness and education, more people are bound to get infected.  This is because these people won't know about the facts involved with the spread of AIDS.  They won't protect themselves well because they won't know what to do.  By spending money on awareness and education, less people will contract AIDS in Africa.

Education isn't the only reason why there are so many people with AIDS in Africa.  This is also the case because of the lack of medical help in these areas.  There are very few doctors living in these areas.  Luckily, organizations are helping out by sending doctors from America and Europe to help out in Africa.  They bring their know-how, their equipment, and AIDS medications.  They can then use all of this to help the people that live there.

People in poor countries always need help from generous folks in more prosperous lands.  If you have the time or money, it is a good idea to donate either or both of these in order to help the AIDS epidemic.  Not only will it help now, but it will also have a positive impact on the illness for years to come.  The more people help out with the cause, the closer we'll come to beating it.

If you are interested in helping out, there are many organizations out there that are devoted to the cause.  In fact, nearly every country has at least one organization, not to mention all of the international organizations that are helpful and amazing as well.  You will be sure to find a worthwhile cause to give your time, money and effort to.  Then, these will be used to help people afflicted with the virus and who are less fortunate than you.

Children with Aids

The Sad Truth: Children with HIV

Most people know about AIDS.  They know that it can be contracted through sexual activity and through blood.  They know that it affects millions of people, but they often don't know just who is susceptible. 
Originally, people thought that it only affected drug users and homosexual men.  Now they only think that it affects adults.  While all adults can contract the AIDS virus, it is wrong to think that they are the only ones who can get it.  In fact, there are many children with AIDS in the world.  Most people don't realize those important and saddening AIDS statistics.

First, let’s review how you can contract AIDS or HIV.  It has to be done with either blood or certain other kinds of bodily fluids.  This includes semen, pre-seminal fluid, and vaginal fluid.  If you come into contact with any of these fluids, and that person happens to be infected with HIV, there is a chance that you will get sick as well.  Most people think that it stops there, though.  Well, that is not true.  In reality, breast milk can also make someone contract the virus.

There are several instances when a baby can get AIDS.  If the mother is infected while she is pregnant, there is a good chance that she could pass the virus onto the child then.  This is because of all of the sharing of fluids that goes on between mother and unborn child.  It can also happen during childbirth since the baby will likely touch some of the mother's blood.  Finally, the baby can get the disease if it is breast fed.  If you are having a child and you have AIDS, make sure not to breast feed.  There is the chance that your baby could be born without AIDS, but giving them breast milk will almost certainly change that.

As AIDS statistics show, it is a lot harder for babies and children to deal with the effects of AIDS than adults.  The virus is a lot harder on their immune systems and they will feel much worse.  Because of this, doctors will likely prescribe much harder and more potent medications for the treatment of the child.  Not only will the kid feel terrible from the actual disease, but they will also feel bad from all of the really bad side effects that come from these medications, such as fatigue, malaise, and diarrhea.  As you can see, children have a really hard time when they have HIV; much harder than adults do.

When you get down to it, though, AIDS is just a terrible virus.  It isn't fun for anyone, not people who have it or people who know someone who has it.  It is a terrible and deadly disease.  Because of this, scientists are always working hard to find a cure.  While they haven't yet reached that point, they have found a lot of great treatments over the years through this research.  These treatments have gotten better and better over the years.  People with AIDS now are having an easier time of it than people who had AIDS in the 1980s.

Now you know about how hard it can be for children with HIV.  Although it is easy to ignore, the fact of the matter is that children can get this illness too.  The sad part is that it is rarely their own doing and instead the fault of the mother.  These children are very innocent and need to be taken care of.  If you are willing to help, your time and money can go a long way to helping the cause and improving the lives of these children.