Hiv & Aids
CHAPTER ONE- Introduction
1.1Background
HIV and AIDS is a major health problem in developing countries. An estimated million people living with HIV or AIDS worldwide and more than 3 million die every year from AIDS-related illnesses. At of the end of 2007, WHO/UNAIDS estimated that 70,256 people out of the total population of 25.2 million people were living with HIV, indicating a prevalence of about 0.55 % in the adult population in Nepal, though only 10,546 cases have been reported. Out of 28 % of total youth population in Nepal, .87% of all people living with HIV are aged 15-29 years, with a high rate of new infections.
HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome).
HIV attacks the immune system 's soldiers - the CD4 cells. When the immune system loses too many CD4 cells, you are less able to fight off infection and can develop serious opportunistic infections (OIs). A person is diagnosed with AIDS when he or she has less than 200 CD4 cells and/or one of 21 AIDS-defining OIs. * Common myth: "HIV doesn 't cause AIDS." * Truth: If you don 't have HIV, you can 't get AIDS. If you have AIDS, you have HIV. There is 20 years of solid scientific proof on this. AIDS is not caused by party drugs, AZT, government conspiracies, or anything else but a virus.
Types of HIV
Two types of HIV are identified: HIV-1 and HIV-2, both genetically similar but different in clinical manifestations. HIV-2 is less pathogenic than HIV-1. HIV-2 is less prevalent than HIV-1 except in the African countries. Clinical manifestation of HIV-2 is late and infectivity per sexual contact is low than HIV-1.
AIDS is the acquired immuno-deficiency syndrome is a fatal illness caused by a retrovirus known as Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus (HIV) which breaks down the human immune system. AIDS is also sometime called “slim disease”.
AIDS means
A – Acquired - not born with
I – Immune
1.1Background
HIV and AIDS is a major health problem in developing countries. An estimated million people living with HIV or AIDS worldwide and more than 3 million die every year from AIDS-related illnesses. At of the end of 2007, WHO/UNAIDS estimated that 70,256 people out of the total population of 25.2 million people were living with HIV, indicating a prevalence of about 0.55 % in the adult population in Nepal, though only 10,546 cases have been reported. Out of 28 % of total youth population in Nepal, .87% of all people living with HIV are aged 15-29 years, with a high rate of new infections.
HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome).
HIV attacks the immune system 's soldiers - the CD4 cells. When the immune system loses too many CD4 cells, you are less able to fight off infection and can develop serious opportunistic infections (OIs). A person is diagnosed with AIDS when he or she has less than 200 CD4 cells and/or one of 21 AIDS-defining OIs. * Common myth: "HIV doesn 't cause AIDS." * Truth: If you don 't have HIV, you can 't get AIDS. If you have AIDS, you have HIV. There is 20 years of solid scientific proof on this. AIDS is not caused by party drugs, AZT, government conspiracies, or anything else but a virus.
Types of HIV
Two types of HIV are identified: HIV-1 and HIV-2, both genetically similar but different in clinical manifestations. HIV-2 is less pathogenic than HIV-1. HIV-2 is less prevalent than HIV-1 except in the African countries. Clinical manifestation of HIV-2 is late and infectivity per sexual contact is low than HIV-1.
AIDS is the acquired immuno-deficiency syndrome is a fatal illness caused by a retrovirus known as Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus (HIV) which breaks down the human immune system. AIDS is also sometime called “slim disease”.
AIDS means
A – Acquired - not born with
I – Immune
References: * Park. K (2007), Preventive and social Medicine 19th edition. AIDS (page no. 285).