{"id":34765,"date":"2013-07-12T09:25:51","date_gmt":"2013-07-12T09:25:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dherbs.com\/uncategorized\/aids-and-hiv\/"},"modified":"2024-02-28T02:25:47","modified_gmt":"2024-02-28T09:25:47","slug":"aids-and-hiv","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dherbs.com\/articles\/featured-articles\/aids-and-hiv\/","title":{"rendered":"AIDS and HIV"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

HIV \/ AIDS is a disease of the human immune system caused by a virus. It is an incredibly devastating disease, both because of its physical manifestations and the lingering social stigma. HIV \/ AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus infection \/ acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is a relatively recent disease that has had an explosive impact on the global community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The disease was first recognized in 1981, and since then has spread with incredible rapidity throughout the world. According to one health report, approximately 34 million people had HIV in 2010. Of those, approximately 16.8 are women and 3.4 million are younger than fifteen. Since 1981, AIDS has led to nearly 30 million deaths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Causes and Risk Factors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

HIV is transmitted via certain bodily fluids. It is most commonly transmitted via unprotected sex<\/strong> (including oral and anal sex). It can also be transferred from hypodermic needles<\/strong>, contaminated blood transfusions<\/strong>, and from mother to child during pregnancy<\/strong>. Certain bodily fluids such as saliva and tears do not <\/strong>transmit HIV.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Symptoms<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are a few different stages to the disease: acute infection, clinical latency, and then AIDS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Acute Infection<\/em><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The period immediately following the contraction is called acute infection. This period tends to last one to two weeks<\/strong>, but varies per individual. Because these symptoms are similar to more common infectious diseases, HIV is frequently misdiagnosed during this time. Symptoms during this period include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n