What is HIV?
HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. This is the virus that causes AIDS. HIV is different from most other viruses because it attacks the immune system. The immune system gives our bodies the ability to fight infections. HIV finds and destroys a type of white blood cell (T cells or CD4 cells) that the immune system must have to fight disease.
What is AIDS?
AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. AIDS is the final stage of HIV infection. It can take years for a person infected with HIV, even without treatment, to reach this stage. Having AIDS means that the virus has weakened the immune system to the point at which the body has a difficult time fighting infections. When someone has one or more of these infections and a low number of T cells, he or she has AIDS.
What is the difference between HIV & AIDS?
HIV is the virus that causes AIDS, the most advanced stage of HIV disease. A weakened immune system caused by HIV will allow opportunistic infections to develop. A healthy immune system would normally fight these infections, while an HIV-weakened immune system is susceptible to them.
How is HIV Spread?
HIV is a fragile virus. It cannot live for very long outside the body. As a result, the virus is not transmitted through day-to-day activities such as shaking hands, hugging, or a casual kiss. You cannot become infected from a toilet seat, drinking fountain, doorknob, dishes, drinking glasses, food, or pets. You also cannot get HIV from mosquitoes.
HIV is primarily found in the blood, semen (including pre-ejaculate), or vaginal fluid of an infected person. HIV is transmitted in 3 main ways:
- Having sex (anal, vaginal, or oral) with someone infected with HIV.
- Sharing needles and syringes with someone infected with HIV.
- Being exposed (fetus or infant) to HIV before or during birth or through breast feeding.
Note: HIV also can be transmitted through blood infected with HIV. However, since 1985, all donated blood in the United States is tested for HIV. Therefore, the risk for HIV infection through the transfusion of blood or blood products is extremely low. The U.S. blood supply is considered among the safest in the world. |