HIV/AIDS

HIV stands for Human Immune deficiency Virus. It is a retrovirus (an RNA virus)
that
attacks the immune system (CD4 cell or T4 lymphocytes or “helper” cells) of
humans,
breaking it down such that the individual’s helper cells can no longer help resist
invading
diseases. Such a person suffers from a variety of diseases symptom occurring at
the same
time, thus leading to a condition called AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency
Syndrome). HIV
virus is found in most body fluids such as blood, seminal fluids, vaginal fluid, and
small
quantity in saliva

Note that AIDS is not a disease, but a condition caused by HIV in the body. HIV
breaks
down the body’s immune system exposing it to a variety of diseases, and many
other
resultant secondary diseases. When this happens the individual suffers from a
multitude of

diseases symptoms (syndrome) which exists at the same time. When the infected
individual reaches this condition, we then say he is suffering from AIDS. It is also important to
note here that infection with the HIV virus does not necessarily results in AIDS. Some
individuals, who are healthy “carriers”, may remain symptomless, especially nowadays with
the better use of anti retroviruses.
TERMINOLOGIES RELATED TO HIV/AIDS

Seropositive: This is a person who have been tested

-
and found to have the HIV virus.
Sero negative: This is a person who has been tested
-
and found not to have the HIV
virus.
Healthy carrier: This is a seropositive person who is
-
not yet showing the signs and

symptoms of AIDS.
An AIDS patient: This is a seropositive person who
-
is already showing the signs and
symptoms of AIDS that is suffering from
 opportunistic diseases.
Opportunistic diseases: These are diseases that
-
take the opportunity of the weak
immune system of a seropositve patient or healthy
carriers to attack causing the patient to
be sick. E.g. cholera, typhoid, tuberculosis ...
Incubation period: This is the length of time from
-
when a person is infected with HIV to
when he/she start showing the signs and symptoms
of AIDS.

- Prevalence rate: This is the percentage of individual infected in a given population

Diseases Transmission Symptoms Prevention

Vaccination of young
Eaten infected food Headache, fever, and in
children, improvement of
Poliomyelitis or drinking infected severe cases paralysis
sanitation of drinking
water of part of the body
water supply
High fever, skin cover
Vaccination, isolation of
Small pox with small blisters and
patient
rashes
Air borne, close
Small red itching spots Vaccination, isolation of
Chicken pox contact with
on the skin, mild fiver patient.
infected person
Vaccination, killing of
Bite, from Ades
Yellow fever Fever, headache mosquitoes using
mosquito.
insecticides.
AIDS Sex with infected Significant weight loss, No cure, no vaccine,

person, blood long term diarrhea, and practice of abstinence,

transfusion, mother in most cases fidelity amongst couples.
child through the tuberculosis. Education in schools
placenta. Numerous skin mass media and NGOs.
Contaminated infections like god fire Use of anti-retrovirus by
needles and (zona), eczema, rashes patients to reduce rapid
syringes etc viral replication.