What is AIDS? What should you need to know?

What is AIDS? What should you need to know?

What is AIDS? AIDS is a  medical condition. A person is diagnosed with AIDS when  their immune system is too weak to fight off infectio... 08:43:00

What is AIDS?

AIDS is a  medical condition. A person is diagnosed with AIDS when  their immune system is too weak to fight off infections.

Since AIDS was first identified in the early 1980s, an unprecedented  number of people have been affected by the global  AIDS epidemic. Today, there are an estimated  35.3 million people living with HIV and AIDS worldwide. 1

What causes AIDS?

Acquired Immune  Deficiency Syndrome, shortened AIDS, is caused by HIV. Some people may refer to AIDS as advanced  HIV infection.

HIV is a virus that  gradually attacks immune system cells. As HIV progressively damages these cells, the body becomes more  vulnerable to infections, which it will have difficulty in fighting off. It is at the point of very advanced HIV infection  that a person is said to have AIDS. If left untreated, it can take around ten years before HIV has damaged  the immune system enough for AIDS to develop.

See our HIV Transmission page  to find out how HIV is passed on, and our HIV Prevention section for how to prevent an HIV  infection.

Symptom of AIDS?

 A person is diagnosed with  AIDS when they have developed an AIDS related condition or symptom, called an opportunistic  infection, or an AIDS related cancer. The infections are called ‘opportunistic’ because they take  advantage of the opportunity offered by a weakened immune system.

It is possible for  someone to be diagnosed with AIDS even if they have not developed an opportunistic infection. AIDS  can be diagnosed when the number of immune system cells (CD4 cells) in the blood of an HIV positive person  drops below a certain level.

Curing AIDS?

Worryingly, many  people think there is a 'cure' for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS - which perhaps makes them take risks that  they otherwise wouldn't. However, there is still no cure for HIV. The only way to ensure that you avoid AIDS  is to be aware of how HIV is transmitted and how to prevent HIV infection.

However, people can  take antiretroviral treatment, which suppresses the HIV virus. This can prevent them from reaching a point  where they are diagnosed with AIDS. Also, in some cases, it is possible for a person who has an AIDS  diagnosis to regain a strong immune system with antiretroviral therapy. However, once somebody is diagnosed  with AIDS, officially they keep this diagnosis for life even though in  reality an opportunistic infection may  be cured or the number of immune system cells (CD4 cells) in their blood may increase to recommended  levels.

Record of AIDS deaths.

Since the  first cases of AIDS  were identified in 1981, more than 30 million people have died from AIDS. An estimated  1.7 million people died as a result of AIDS in 2011 alone.

Although there  is no cure for AIDS, HIV infection can be prevented, and those living with HIV can take antiretroviral  drugs to prevent or delay the onset of AIDS. However, in many countries across  the world access to  prevention and treatment services is limited. Global leaders have pledged to work towards universal  access to HIV prevention and care, so that millions of deaths can be averted.

AIDS treatment

Antiretroviral treatment can significantly prolong the lives of people living with HIV.  Modern combination therapy is highly effective and  someone with HIV who is taking treatment  could live for the rest of their life without  developing AIDS.

An AIDS  diagnosis does not necessarily equate to a death sentence. Many people can still benefit from starting antiretroviral therapy even once they  have developed an AIDS defining illness. Better treatment and prevention for opportunistic infections have also  helped to improve the quality and length of life for those diagnosed with  AIDS.

Treating some  opportunistic infections is easier than others. Infections such as herpes zoster and candidiasis of the mouth, throat  or vagina, can be managed effectively in most environments. On the other hand, more complex infections  such as toxoplasmosis, need advanced medical equipment and infrastructure, which are lacking in many  resource-poor areas.

It is also important  that treatment is provided for AIDS related pain, which is experienced by almost all people in the very  advanced stages of HIV infection.

Research AIDS now 

Even though a ntiretroviral treatment can prevent the onset of AIDS in a person living with HIV, many people are still diagnosed  with AIDS today. There are four main reasons for this:

In many resource-poor  countries antiretroviral treatment is not widely available. Even in wealthier countries, such as America, many  individuals are not covered by health insurance and cannot afford treatment.

Some people who became  infected with HIV in the early years of the epidemic before combination therapy was available, have  subsequently developed drug resistance and therefore have limited treatment options.

Many people are never  tested for HIV and only become aware they are infected with the virus once they have developed an AIDS  related illness. These people are at a higher risk of mortality, as they tend to respond less well to treatment at this stage.

Sometimes people taking  treatment are unable to adhere to, or tolerate the side effects of drugs.

Caring for person  whose been effected

In the later stages  of AIDS, a person will need palliative care and emotional support. In many parts of the world, friends, family  and AIDS organisations provide home based care. This is particularly the case in countries with high HIV  prevalence and overstretched healthcare systems.

End of life care becomes  necessary when a person has reached the very final stages of AIDS. At this stage, preparing for death and  open discussion about whether a person is going to die often helps in addressing concerns and ensuring  final wishes are followed.

 The Global AIDS Epidemic

Around 2.5 million  people became infected  with HIV in 2011. Sub-Saharan Africa has been hardest hit by the epidemic; in 2011 over two-thirds  of AIDS deaths were in this region.

The epidemic  has had a devastating impact on societies, economies and infrastructures. In countries most severely affected, life expectancy has been reduced by as much as 20  years. Young adults in their productive years are the most at-risk population, so many countries  have faced a slow-down in economic growth and an increase in household poverty. HIV and AIDS in  Asia causes a greater loss of productivity than any other disease. An adult's most productive years are also  their most reproductive and so many of the age group who have died from AIDS have left children  behind. In sub-Saharan Africa the AIDS epidemic has orphaned  nearly 15 million children.

In recent years, the  response to the epidemic has been intensified; from 2002-2008 spending on HIV and AIDS in low- and  middle-income countries increased 6-fold. Since 2008, spending has not increased so substantially, but it is  still significantly higher than it was before 2002. The number  of people on antiretroviral treatment has increased,  the annual number of AIDS deaths has declined, and the  global percentage of people infected with HIV  has stabilised.

However, recent achievements  should not lead to complacent attitudes. In all parts of the world, people living with HIV still face  AIDS related stigma and discrimination, and many  people still cannot access sufficient HIV treatment  and care. In Eastern Europe infection rates are rising,  and in Western Europe and America there are still  tens of thousands of new infections each year - indicating that HIV prevention is just as important now as it  ever has been. Prevention efforts that have proved to  be effective need to be scaled-up and treatment  targets reached. Commitments from national governments right down to the community level need to  be intensified and subsequently met, so that one day the world might see an end to the global AIDS  epidemic.

Referral of Website  about HIV and AIDS

In addition to the hundreds  of informative pages about HIV and AIDS, the AVERT website has interactive ways to learn more about HIV and AIDS.

• The AVERT AIDS Game is a great way to see how  much you know about HIV and AIDS.
• You can test your knowledge of HIV and AIDS by trying  one of our online quizzes.
• Our photo gallery has hundreds of HIV and AIDS  related  photos from around the world.
• The AVERT video gallery has a number of short videos  related to HIV and AIDS.
• Finally, you can read stories that have  been sent to us from  people who are either living with HIV or who have been affected by HIV  and AIDS.