Today is

By: Ikedi Ani-okoye.

AIDS Information

In 1981, scientists in the United States and France first recognized the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), which was later discovered to be caused by a virus called the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). HIV breaks down the body's immunity to infections leading to AIDS.

The virus can lie hidden in the body for up to 10 years without producing any obvious symptoms or before developing into the AIDS disease, and in the meantime the person can unknowingly infect others. Currently, an estimated 40 million people worldwide are HIV carriers, and three million a year are dying of AIDS.

AIDS and now

AIDS is as the bubonic plague of our time. Though AIDS is a talking point on street corners, many people still are not informed scrupulously what HIV/AIDS absolutely means. They are not informed how to keep safe themselves as well. In this regard gender literacy may play an important role to make aware of AIDS.

HIV to AIDS

Most experts believe that HIV is responsible for Aids, but there is some evidence that not all people who contract HIV go on to have full-blown Aids (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). Infection by the HIV is followed two to six weeks later by the development of antibodies to the virus. This process may be accompanied by one or more systemic illnesses.

Symptoms of AIDS

As I said, symptoms will only occur if HIV is developed into AIDS and the symptoms of AIDS are a result of series of infections called opportunistic infections that do not normally develop in humans with healthy immune. Why they are called opportunistic infections? Because they do not happen to people with healthy immune. But since AIDS destroys the immune system, they will occur in infected people.

What are common symptoms with AIDS infected people? They are fevers, sweats, weakness, weight loss, and a series of "rare" infections and cancers.

CONCLUSION

It is three decades since the discovery of the HIV virus but we are still lacking information about HIV / AIDS. According to UN AIDS estimates, there are now 33.2 million people living with HIV, including 2.5 million children. Although there is no foolproof cure or vaccine for HIV virus, the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) will ensure that medicines are available at an affordable cost even in third world countries. The search for the vaccine for AIDS remains the challenge for the world today.