What is HIV? What is AIDS?
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HIV is a sexually transmitted disease. It can
also be spread by contact with infected blood,
or from mother to child during pregnancy,
childbirth or breast-feeding. It can take years
before HIV weakens your immune system to
the point that you have AIDS.
AIDS is a chronic, potentially life-threatening
condition caused by the human
immunodeficiency virus (HIV). By damaging
your immune system, HIV interferes with your
body's ability to fight the organisms that cause
disease.
FACTS & STATS
There's no cure for HIV/AIDS, but there are
medications that can dramatically slow the
progression of the disease. These drugs
have reduced AIDS deaths in many
developed nations. But HIV continues to
decimate populations in Africa, Haiti and
parts of Asia.
 http://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/stateprofiles/pd
f/united_states_profile.pdf
 http://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/stateprofiles/pd
f/Colorado_profile.pdf
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Global HIV/AIDS estimates, end of 2008
The latest statistics of the global HIV and AIDS were published by UNAIDS in
November 2009, and refer to the end of 2008.
Estimate Range People living with HIV/AIDS in 2008
33.4 million
Adults living with HIV/AIDS in 2008
31.3 million
Children living with HIV/AIDS in 2008
2.1 million
AIDS deaths in 2008
2.0 million
Child AIDS deaths in 2008
0.28 million
More than 25 million people have died of AIDS since 1981.
Africa has over 14 million AIDS orphans.
At the end of 2008, women accounted for 50% of all adults living with HIV
worldwide
In developing and transitional countries, 9.5 million people are in immediate need
of life-saving AIDS drugs; of these, only 4 million (42%) are receiving the
drugs.
Global Trends
The number of people living with HIV has risen from around 8 million in
1990 to 33 million today, and is still growing. Around 67% of people
living with HIV are in sub-Saharan Africa.
Every hour, two
young Americans
between ages 13 and
24 are infected with
HIV.
According to http://www.hivaidssearch.com
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How many people have died of AIDS?
 Almost 5,500 people die every day due to AIDS.
AIDS caused 2 million deaths in 2008. An
estimated 25 million people have died from HIVrelated causes since the beginning of the
pandemic.
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How fast is the pandemic growing?
 There were 2.7 million new HIV infections in 2008,
or almost 7,400 people per day.
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
strikes anyone - young and old, the rich or
poor, the famous and unknowns. The
nameless victims who get infected go
unnoticed, but celebrities who do, always
get the world's attention. This is a list of the
top 10 celebrities who are known to have
or to have had the virus known as HIV,
including those who have died (whether
from AIDS or another cause).
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1) Rock Hudson - Iconic Hollywood leading man, the first major
American celebrity whose AIDS diagnosis was made public.
Unquestionably, he was one of the most popular and well-known movie
stars of his time. The public got a double shock when it was revealed he
had AIDS and was gay. In 1985, Hudson died at the age of 59.
2)Freddie Mercury - Queen's lead singer noted for his vocal abilities and
his charisma. His death led to The Mercury Phoenix Trust anti-AIDS
charity and the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert for AIDS Awareness.
Died in 1991 at the age of 45 and was inducted into Rock and Roll's Hall
of Fame in 2001.
3)Liberace - Flamboyant Las Vegas singer and piano player known for
candelabras, lavish costumes, exotic cars and kitchy homes. In the '70s
and 80s, Liberace was a major box office attraction in Las Vegas. In 1987,
he died due to complications from AIDS.
4)Arthur Ashe - one of the greatest tennis players of all time. Was the
first African-American to win a Grand Slam and he went on to collect
three. Ashe transcended tennis to become a social activist who led public
protests against apartheid in South Africa; became infected with HIV via
transfusion during heart surgery. This Tennis Hall of Famer died in 1993 at
the age of 49.
5) Isaac Asimov - famous science fiction writer and biochemist. Two of
his works were turned into highly successful films - I, Robot and
Bicentennial Man. Asimov, who was also popular for his science books,
became infected by transfused blood during heart surgery.
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6) Earvin "Magic" Johnson - One of the greatest NBA players of all time,
Johnson is widely considered as the best point guard ever to play the game.
Since publicly announcing he had been infected with the virus HIV, Johnson
continues to be an advocate for HIV/AIDS prevention and safe sex.
7)Greg Louganis - Olympic gold medalist in diving. Was the most
outstanding amateur athlete in 1984 and went on to win back-to-back
Olympic golds in both the 3m and 10m diving events. Following the
announcement of his HIV status in 1995, Louganis was dropped by majority
of his corporate sponsors. Since retiring from diving, Louganis has ventured
into acting mostly in off-Broadway plays.
8)Tommy Morrison - world champion boxer better known for his role as
Tommy Gunn in Rocky V. In 1996 it was revealed he was HIV-positive which
automatically retired him from boxing as a competitor. Currently, he is
pursuing a career in Mixed Martial Arts and is trying to mount a comeback in
boxing.
9)Ryan White - expelled from high school because of his infection which he
got from contaminated blood during treatment. White, who was a
hemophiliac, became a poster child for HIV/AIDS at a time when the public
knew very little about the disease. White made many celebrity friends
including Michael Jackson whose song "Gone Too Soon" was a tribute to
the teenage AIDS victim. White died in 1990 at a young age of 18.
10) Esteban De Jesus - a world lightweight champion boxer from Puerto
Rico. Famous for his trilogy with Roberto Duran, "Vita" had a life full of
controversy, problems and scandals. Sentenced to life in jail for murder, he
became a preacher and started to turn his life around. De Jesus acquired
HIV and succumbed to full-blown AIDS in 1989.
What’s Being Done?
There are many efforts to fight the
ongoing battle with HIV and AIDS.
 http://www.theunbeatentrack.com/2009/
11/05/check-the-unbeaten-track-hotmixtrailer/
 http://www.theunbeatentrack.com/2009/
12/02/one-at-a-time-the-full-music-video/
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Sources
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http://ezinearticles.com/?Top-10Celebrities-Who-Had-HIV&id=1507863
www.theunbeatentrack.com
www.staying-alive.com
http://www.hivaidssearch.com/facts/hiv_aid
s_factual_statistics.htm
http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/global_healt
h/aids/News/aidsfaq.html
http://www.avert.org/worldstats.htm
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hivaids/DS00005