Aids Dating HIV

HIV / AIDS - A Perspective
By Mehjabeen Poonawala

AIDS is caused by the Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which damages the body’s defense system. People infected with HIV usually live for years without any signs of the disease. They may look and feel healthy, but they can still pass on the virus to others.

HIV is a retrovirus with two primary types: HIV-1 and HIV-2. There are many strains of both types and all mutate rapidly, which has made it particularly difficult for researchers to find an effective vaccine or treatment for the virus. HIV infection is often mostly or entirely asymptomatic (without symptoms) and the most common signs, which include fever, fatigue, rash, and lymphadenopathy (swollen lymph nodes), are often mistaken for mononucleosis, flu, or similar, comparatively harmless diseases.

AIDS is the late stage of HIV infection. People who have AIDS grow weaker because their bodies loose the ability to fight off illness. In adults, AIDS develops 7 to 10 years after infection, on an average. In young children, it usually develops much faster.

It is not possible to get HIV /AIDS from touching those who are infected. Hugging, shaking hands, coughing and sneezing will not spread the disease. HIV /AIDS cannot be transmitted through toilet seats, telephones, plates, glasses eating utensils, towels, bed linen, swimming pools or public baths.