Aids

HIV/AIDS

My brother was infected with the HIV virus in 1985.   It is now 2009 and he still has not been diagnosed with AIDS.   His healthy active lifestyle, medical care, and over all caution has provided him with a long healthy life though living with the disease.   Due to being a relative of an HIV infected person this is a subject that I feel strongly towards.   I want people to be made aware of the disease and proceed with caution when living their lives.   Ignorance is not bliss in this case.   The statistics are very sad.   It is estimated that 56,300 Americans are newly infected with HIV each year. (US Dept. of Health and Human Services. 2009)

Regional/Global HIV/AIDS Statistics
Region Adults (aged 15+) and children living with HIV/AIDS, 2007 New HIV infections among adults (aged 15+) and children, in 2007 Adult (aged 15-49) prevalence (%), 2007 Adult (aged 15+) and child deaths due to AIDS, in 2007
Sub-Saharan Africa 22.0 million 1.9 million 5.0% 1.5 million
South/Southeast Asia 4.2 million 330,000 0.3% 340,000
Eastern Europe/Central Asia 1.5 million 110,000 0.8% 58,000
Latin America 1.7 million 140,000 0.5% 63,000
North America 1.2 million 54,000 0.6% 23,000
East Asia 740,000 52,000 0.1% 40,000
Western/Central Europe 730,000 27,000 0.3% 8,000
Middle East/North Africa 380,000 40,000 0.3% 27,000
Caribbean 230,000 20,000 1.1% 14,000
Oceania 74,000 13,000 0.4% 1,000
Global 32.9 million 2.7 million 0.8% 2.0 million
(UNAIDS. 2008)

Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes the progressive deterioration of the immune system, leading to immune deficiency (Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome -AIDS).   It is an incurable disease.   HIV can be transmitted through sexual intercourse, injection drug use, mother to fetus transmission, and blood transfusions.   It cannot live for very long outside the body. As a result, the virus is not transmitted through day-to-day activities such as shaking hands, hugging, or a casual...