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HIV – Human Immunodeficiency Virus – A pathogen that destroys infection-fighting T cells in the body.
AIDS – Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome –
A condition that results after a person becomes infected with HIV .
 You can’t catch AIDS, AIDS develops after HIV has inflicted enough destruction of the body cells.

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Lymphocytes – White blood cells that help the body fight pathogens. They multiply in lymph tissues in order to fight infections
B Cells – A white blood cell that produces antibodies
Helper T Cells – A white blood cell that signals B cells to produce antibodies
Antibody – A special protein that helps fight infection

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When HIV enters the body it attaches to the helper T cells
HIV takes control of the helper T cells and produces more HIV
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As HIV reproduces, it takes control of the other helper T cells
Helper T cells are now unable to attach and kill other pathogens that enter the body

 Flu-like symptoms
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 Fever
Diarrhea
Sore Throat
Skin Rash
Swollen Glands
Loss of Appetite
Night Sweats

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 Symptoms may come and go as the helper T cell count fluctuates
Many people will not develop severe symptoms for years
As the helper T cell count drops, the person becomes more susceptible to many opportunistic infections
 Opportunistic Infections – An infection that develops in a person with a weak immune system.

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Thrush – Is a fungal infection of the mucous membrane of the tongue and mouth. Causes white spots and ulcers.
Kaposi’s Sarcoma – Is a type of cancer that causes purplish lesions and tumors on the skin and linings of internal organs.
AIDS Dementia Complex – Loss of brain function
HIV Wasting Syndrome –
Substantial loss of body weight that is accompanied by high fevers, sweating and diarrhea

 Roughly 40,000 people in the US become infected with
HIV each year
¼ to 1/3 do not know they are infected 
 People with or without symptoms can pass the virus to others
 Many people do not show symptoms for many years after infection

 According to the Centers for
Disease Control (CDC) a person infected with HIV who has 200 or fewer helper T cells per microliter of blood or an opportunistic infection is diagnosed with AIDS

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Through contact with certain bodily fluids which include:
 Blood
Semen
Vaginal Secretions
Few cases through breast milk
**To date no documented cases are from transmission through saliva and tears

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Sexual Contact
Open Mouth Kissing – Although risk of transmission this way is low
Sharing Needles/Syringes for injectable drugs
Sharing Needles for Tattoos or
Piercings
Contact with the blood, other bodily fluid or mucous membranes
Blood Transfusion w/ infected person
Tissue Transplant (organ donation)
Being born to a mother infected

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Abstain from sex until you are married
Get tested for HIV if you have been sexually active
Have your partner get tested for HIV
Choose a drug-free lifestyle
Avoid sharing needles used for tattoos and/or piercings

 ** There is no cure for HIV or
AIDS**
 Treatment focuses on slowing the progression of the virus
 Early treatment is critical in slowing the rate at which HIV multiplies
 Typically 8-10 years until AIDS occurs
 Drugs are used to slow the progression although there are serious side effects from some of the drugs

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Antibody test – Detects HIV antibodies in the blood
Usually show up in the blood after 3 months of having the infection but can take up to 6 months
If a test is confirmed as positive it is repeated to confirm the results
Western Blot – Used once an antibody test has come back positive
Home Testing – The FDA has approved home testing for antibodies that gets mailed to a lab for testing