December 2008 AIDS Awareness Month

December 1st is World AIDS Day. Established in 1988 by the World Health Organization, the purpose of World AIDS Day is to increase awareness of this global epidemic. In addition to this program, many organizations, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, have dedicated the entire month of December to AIDS Awareness. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, in 2007 there were approximately 33 million people worldwide infected with HIV/AIDS. The CDC reports that about a million people in the United States are currently infected with HIV, of which nearly 25 percent are unaware that they have the disease. Because of this, it is important that people not only protect themselves from the disease, but that they also get tested and know their status in order to aid in prevention efforts.

HIV or human immunodeficiency virus, the virus that causes AIDS, attacks and destroys the white blood cells the body needs to fight the disease making it unique and devastating in nature. AIDS or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is the final stage of HIV and is diagnosed after the white blood cell count lowers to a certain number or specific infections and or cancers begin to infect the body. The CDC reports that approximately 55,000 new infections occur in the United States every year.

As the virus is commonly found in the blood, semen, and vaginal fluid of the infected individual, the most common forms of HIV transmission include unprotected sexual intercourse or exchange (oral, anal, or vaginal) and intravenous drug use with shared needles. The best method of prevention is through abstinence or the use of condoms when engaging in sexual activity. HIV can also be transmitted from an infected mother to her baby inside of the womb, during birth, and through breast milk; however, advances in treatment have reduced this form of transmission. The transmission of HIV through blood transfusion and organ transplant has been all but eradicated since the testing of donated blood and organs began in 1985. It is important to note that the virus cannot live long outside of the body and therefore cannot be transmitted through day to day contact. HIV can live unnoticed and undetected in the body for years before transitioning to AIDS as the symptoms of the virus are often mistaken for other illnesses. The only reliable symptom is the knowledge of one’s status; therefore, it is extremely important that individuals get tested regularly.

According to the CDC, women comprise almost 50 percent of people in the United States living with HIV and the rate of infection amongst women has continued to increase over the years. The African-American and youth population are at particularly high risks of infection and the CDC reports that in 2004, HIV infection was the leading cause of death among black women aged 25 – 34 years. There is no cure for HIV/AIDS, and though the years have provided treatment options to increase life span and the quality of life for those who are infected, AIDS remains a common killer for young women in the United States.

Additional Resources

http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/basic/index.htm#hiv
http://www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/hivinf.htm
http://www.kff.org/hivaids/index.cfm