DISEASES: HIV/AIDS
Objective:
•To recognize the different stages if HIV/AIDS.
•To learn about UNICEF and their quest to “make a
difference in the lives of children affected by HIV &
AIDS.”
Stats
• Estimated that 40 million people worldwide
are infected with HIV/AIDS
• 12 million are in the 15-24 age group
• More than 25 million people have died
from AIDS around the world
– 500,000 Americans
HIV
• Human immunodeficiency virus is a virus
that attacks the immune system
• Once HIV enters the body, it finds and
destroys white blood cells that fight
disease
• The final stage of an HIV infection is
acquire immunodeficiency syndrome
(AIDS) a disease in which the immune
system is weakened
HIV-RELATED SYMPTOMS
• Weight loss
• Unexplained fever (over 103 for 3-5 days)
• Painful or thick whitish coating in mouth, vagina, or
rectum
• Swollen glands
• Cough without explanation
• Unexplained purplish patches on skin
• Persistent skin sores
Opportunistic Infection
• Opportunistic infections (OIs) are infections that
occur more frequently and are more severe in
individuals with weakened immune systems
• Most common in HIV patients
• Many people with HIV still develop OIs because
they may not know of their HIV infection, they
may not be on treatment, or their treatment may
not be keeping their HIV levels low enough for
their immune system to fight off infections.
» CDC.gov
Stages of HIV Infection
• 1: Asymptomatic Stage
– Can last for ten years
– Infection is confined to the lymph nodes
– No outward sign of infection
• 2: Middle Stage
– Occurs in about 40-60% of infected patients
– Experience fever, headache, sore throat, rash
…continued
• 3: Symptomatic Stage
– Patient experiences flu like symptoms
• Headache, fever, body aches, swollen glands,
diminished appetite, weight loss, skin rashes
• 4: AIDS stage
– Helper T cells drop to less than 200 (which is
really low)
• Healthy person has 500 per milliliter of blood
– One or more opportunistic illnesses are
present
HIV Antibodies
• After infection, it takes an individual up to
6 months to develop HIV antibodies
“Famous” People Who Have
Died or Currently Living w/HIV
or AIDS
• Charlie Sheen
• Freddie Mercury – Lead Vocalist of the
band Queen
• Magic Johnson - is a retired American professional
basketball player who played point guard for the Los
Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association
for 13 seasons
• Arthur Ashe
– Arthur Robert Ashe, Jr. was
an American World No. 1
professional tennis player.
He won three Grand Slam
titles, ranking him among the
best tennis players from the
United States