What is HIV?

[steaner]

What is HIV?

HIV is a virus that attacks the body's immune system - the body's defence against diseases. The latest research suggests that between 70 and 90 per cent of people may experience symptoms of infection a few days after having been infected. Three symptoms occurring together: fever, rash and a severe sore throat should always be considered a potential indicator of HIV infection. These symptoms usually disappear within two or three weeks. Other people may not have symptoms to start with. In all cases, without effective treatment the immune system will eventually become very weak and no longer be able to fight off illnesses.
Are HIV and AIDS the same?
No. When someone is described as living with HIV, they have the HIV virus in their body. A person is considered to have developed AIDS when the immune system is so weak it can no longer fight off a range of diseases with which it would normally cope.
I don't know anyone with HIV... do I?
There are approximately 80,000 people living with HIV in the UK and about a third of these don't know that they are infected. The epidemic is still growing in the UK with around 7,000 new diagnoses every year. Even if someone you know is living with HIV, they may not feel able to tell you.
Is there a cure for HIV?
No, but treatment can keep the virus under control and the immune system healthy. People on HIV treatment can live a healthy, active life, although they may experience side effects from the treatment. If HIV is diagnosed late, treatment may be less effective in preventing AIDS.
What's it like living with HIV?
If people with HIV are diagnosed early and respond to treatment they can be healthy, work and have relationships like anyone else and have a long life expectancy.
Coming to terms with an HIV diagnosis and getting used to treatment can be very difficult however, and people living with HIV will often need support from healthcare providers, friends and family, employers and support organisations.
Why do people find it hard to tell others they are HIV positive?
People living with HIV may find it hard to tell others about their condition as they worry that people will reject them, or they will experience prejudice from friends, family and colleagues. People living with HIV can also experience discrimination in their workplace, in healthcare settings (e.g., GPs and dentists), from members of their local community and through the media.
HIV prejudice is often the result of ignorance about how HIV is passed on and unfounded fear of becoming infected. Encouraging those around us to talk about HIV and find out the facts can help overcome this.
There are lots more facts about HIV - including real life stories - at NAT's [Only Registered users can see links . Click Here To Register...]

[hankmayson]

HIV is a virus that gradually assaults immune method cells. It can be transferred from human to human by blood & bodily fluids. HIV is the human immunodeficiency virus.

[ooplisanna]

HIV is a disease caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus , which kills or impairs cells of the immune system and progressively destroys the body's ability to fight infections and certain cancers. HIV is most commonly spread by sexual contact with an infected partner. At last HIV converts into death.

[ellennalton]

HIV is the animal immunodeficiency virus. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. Your allowed arrangement is your body's defence system. While abounding bacilli can be controlled by the allowed system, HIV targets and challenges the aforementioned allowed arrangement cells, which are to assure us from diseases.

[harygril]

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV causes AIDS. While plenty of viruses can be controlled by the immune technique, HIV targets and infects the same immune technique cells that are supposed to protect us from illnesses.

[jackssmith]

Human immunodeficiency virus HIV is a chronic virus a retrovirus family members, leading to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome AIDS, in the human condition in which the gradual failure of immune system Allow life-threatening opportunistic infections and cancers to grow.

[Aaronegary]

HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. Your immune process is the process of your body's defenses. Viruses, many processes can be controlled by vaccination, HIV infection, to protect themselves from disease and target the same immune cells that are infected, the process becomes. These are called (sometimes called T cells) is the type of white blood cells gp120 positive.We know that HIV can hide for long periods of time in the cells of your body and that it assaults a key part of your immune process your T-cells or CD4 cells. Your body has to have these cells to fight infections and disease, but HIV invades them, makes use of them to make more copies of itself, and then destroys them.

[raulvalthaty]

HIV is human immunodeficiency virus. HIV destroys certain white blood cells called CD4 + T cells. These cells are essential for the normal functioning of the human immune system, which defends the body against disease.

[daveedlee]

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. The way your immune defense is the way the body. While it is feasible to control plenty of of the viruses by the method of immune method, HIV targets and infects immune cells, the same method that is meant to protect us from diseases.

[daveedmiller]

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. Your immune method is your body's defense method. While lots of viruses can be controlled by the immune method, HIV targets & infects the same immune method cells that are supposed to protect us from illnesses.