What is HIV/AIDS?
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) attacks the body's immune system and weakens it, resulting in chronic, progressive illness. The advanced stage of the illness is called the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS. HIV makes infected individuals vulnerable to other infections and cancers that would not ordinarily be a threat. It is these "opportunistic diseases" that become fatal.
How Can I Get HIV/AIDS?
HIV is spread through the exchange of infected body fluids: blood, semen, vaginal fluids and breast milk. If HIV-infected blood is present in saliva, there may be a risk of transmission. It can also be transmitted through contaminated blood or contaminated blood products, such as through a blood transfusion or organ donation.
HIV is not transmitted through everyday social contact, air, food or water. For instance, shaking hands, touching and swimming are safe. Furthermore, no risk of infection comes from sharing transportation (e.g., airplane, cruise ship, bus, train, etc.) with people living with HIV/AIDS.
How Can I Avoid HIV/AIDS?
- Don't have sex (vaginal, oral or anal) with strangers or commercial sex workers, and avoid casual sexual contacts.
- If you are going to have sex with a new partner, use latex (or if allergic, use polyurethane) condoms consistently and correctly for every sexual contact. Before departure, pack your own supply of high-quality latex condoms.
- Don't share needles or syringes.
- Don't share razors, toothbrushes or shavers.
- Don't receive tattooing, body-piercing, acupuncture or other skin-piercing treatments and cosmetic procedures.
- Don't receive injections or transfusions unless it is an emergency. If you must receive blood while travelling, try to ensure the donated blood has been tested for HIV. If you cannot ensure the blood has been screened, and you do not require emergency care, return home for treatment.
- Pack a supply of syringes, needles and blood products to cover the length of your trip if you require any of those for regular treatment. Also carry a medical certificate explaining the supply.
- Consider packing a suture kit containing sterile needles, syringes and suture material.
Symptoms of HIV/AIDS
Infection with HIV often first appears as a flu-like illness that eventually passes. Although the infection progresses relentlessly, an infected person may not have symptoms for 10 years or more. However, throughout this symptom-free period, an infected person can transmit the virus to sexual partners or needle sharers.Following the initial flu-like period, many people living with HIV may periodically experience fever, weight loss, loss of appetite, extreme fatigue. The onset of opportunistic infections and cancers characterizes the advance to AIDS, the last stage of HIV infection. During this period, many people develop unusual types of pneumonia such as pneumocystis carinii, skin cancers such as Kaposi's sarcoma or other types of cancer, which lead to death.
Treatment for HIV/AIDS
Several drugs have been developed that can slow the progression of HIV disease, but there is no cure for HIV/AIDS at this time. These drugs have many side effects, are difficult to take and are costly.Based on information from the Public Health Agency of Canada.
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