HIV and AIDS

By: Terrica Springer . Health Midterm Project . 5th Hour

Imagine suffering from a disease you knew probably wouldn't be cured. Imagine knowing that you would die soon. Imagine knowing you wouldn't be able to have children for the rest of your life. If you do have children they can get infected. Millions of people around the world suffer these problems… HIV/AIDS sees no color, no race, no gender, and also no age. So therefore, ANYONE CAN GET INFECTED.

What is HIV/Aids and Where it Came From

AIDS is caused by HIV which is a disease

in which there is a severe loss of the body’s cellular immunity, greatly lowering the resistance to infection and malignancy. Scientists identified a type of chimpanzee

in West Africa as the source of HIV infection in humans.

How You Can Get These Infections.

HIV/AIDS can be transmitted through …Sexual ContactPregnancyChildbirthBreast Feeding Injection Drug UseOccupational ExposureBlood Transfusion/Organ Transplant (RARELY)

Stages of HIV/AIDS

Phases and Symptoms Within 2-4 weeks after exposure to HIV, many, but not all, people who

are infected experience flu-like symptoms, often described as: The Worst Flu Ever

That Includes …. Fever Chills Rash Night sweats Muscle aches Sore throat Fatigue Swollen lymph nodes Ulcers in the mouth

When HIV infection progresses to AIDS, many people begin to suffer from fatigue, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, night sweats,

and even wasting syndrome at late stages.

Phases and Symptoms (Cont)

Preventing HIV/AIDSHIV has been transmitted when there was unprotected contact

between infected blood and broken skin or mucous membranes.

Wear gloves if you are going to have contact with blood or other body fluids that could possibly contain visible blood, such as urine, feces, or vomit.

Cover cuts, sores, or breaks in the skin with bandages. This applies to both you and the person living with HIV/AIDS.

Wash your hands and other parts of your body immediately after contact with blood or other body fluids. Disinfect surfaces soiled with blood.

Getting Tested for HIV/AIDS

The most common HIV tests look for HIV antibodies in your body, rather than

looking for HIV itself.

HIV/AIDS cannot only just affect you. It can affect the people around you. Like you family, friends, and anyone you talk too. Having HIV/AIDS can cause you to be distant. But, for some people they feel as if they should pass it to someone else just because they have it, and they don’t want to be alone.