AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) is a severe illness caused by HIV (human immunodeficiency virus).

HIV works within the body by harming the immune system, so it is unable to fight infection(s). HIV is considered a sexually transmitted disease. It is spread to others via tainted blood, mother to baby, and bodily fluids. When the immune system is destroyed enough by HIV, the illness turns into AIDS. There is currently no cure for HIV/AIDS, but there are medications available that offset its progression.

HIV destroys CD4 cells. To be diagnosed with AIDS you must have a CD4 count that is under 200, or experience an AIDS complication. There are several of these complications. A few are Pneumocystis pneumonia, Cytomegalovirus, Tuberculosis, Toxoplasmosis, and Cryptosporidiosis.

The symptoms of HIV/AIDS can vary on a case by case basis. Most individuals develop flu symptoms a month or so after they have been exposed to the virus. Other symptoms include, but are but limited to fever, swollen lymph glands, night sweats, and diarrhea. HIV progresses to AIDS in about 10 years without treatment. Symptoms then begin to include wasting syndrome, unexplained fatigue, skin rashes, and mouth lesions.

A common misconception is that you can become infected with HIV/AIDS through ordinary contact. You cannot become infected from simple things such as, shaking hands or hugs. You can however become infected during sex, blood transfusions (less common), sharing needles, and from mother to child during pregnancy, birth, or breast feeding.

Anyone can contract HIV/AIDS. It is not just limited to a select group of people. Risk factors of contracting the illness include unprotected sex, having another STI (where open sores are present), and intravenous drug use. These risk factors mean they put you at a higher risk of contracting HIV/AIDS, not that you already have.

There are more serious complications that can arise due to a weakened immune system. They are Lymphomas, Kaposis sarcoma, Wasting syndrome, Cryptococcal Meningitis, and Candidiasis. Confirmatory tests (EIA and Western Blot) of the blood and saliva are used to test for antibodies to HIV/AIDS. If the test is positive there are numerous treatment regimens available, they prolong life longer and better then past treatments.

Web Links: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hiv-aids/DS00005 http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hiv-aids/DS00005/DSECTION=symptoms, http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hiv-aids/DS00005/DSECTION=causes. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hiv-aids/DS00005/DSECTION=risk-factors, http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hiv-aids/DS00005/DSECTION=complications

1. AIDS: A disease in which there is a severe loss of the bodys cellular immunity, greatly lowering the resistance to infection and malignancy. 2. HIV: A retrovirus that causes AIDS. 3. Pneumocystis Pneumonia: An opportunistic infection, caused by yeast like fungus. A major cause of death in patients with late stage AIDS. 4. Cytomegalovirus: A kind of herpes virus that usually produces very mild symptoms in an infected person but may cause severe neurological damage in people with weakened immune systems and in the newborn 5. Tuberculosis: An infectious bacterial disease characterized by the growth of nodules (tubercles) in the tissues, esp. the lungs 6. Candidiasis: An infection caused by a species of the yeast Candida, usually Candida albicans. This is a common cause of vaginal infections in women. Also, Candida may cause mouth infections in people with reduced immune function, or in patients taking certain antibiotics. 7. Lymphoma: Cancer of the lymph nodes. 8. Kaposis sarcoma: A form of cancer involving multiple tumors of the lymph nodes, or skin occurring chiefly in people with depressed immune systems. 9. Cryptococcal Meningitis: A fungal infection of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord (meninges). 10. Wasting Syndrome: Involuntary weight loss (at least 10% of body mass) in combination with diarrhea, fever, or weakness lasting at least 30 days. The bulk of what is lost is lean body cell mass, meaning that while it may be a combination of muscle, fat, and bone, it is mostly muscle.