The HIV virus can be passed on through the exchange of blood, semen and vaginal fluids. This usually occurs during sexual intercourse and sharing needles with an infected person; and babies being born to a mother who is HIV positive. Other forms of spreading are through blood transfusions; however, this is very rare.

Contrary to common belief, HIV is not spread through kissing, shaking hands or hugging an infected person.

It is very important to always practice safe sex and avoid having casual sex. HIV can be prevented by always using a condom during sexual intercourse including oral and anal sex. Taking illegal drugs, especially those that are injected can increase the risk of becoming infected. Not taking illegal drugs is the best preventative step; however, if you do take drugs, try to seek advice from a close and trusted relative, a teacher, GP or school nurse. Avoid sharing needles.

It can be very difficult to tell someone that you have had unsafe sex or that you are or have taken illegal drugs. However, it is crucial that you approach a medical professional for advice, especially in order to have a blood test done to test for infections. They will also be able to assist you in talking to your parents about it, as well as provide you with advice on do’s and don’ts or refer you to specialist services such as counseling and drug intervention programmes.

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AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. It is the most advanced stages of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV is a virus that kills or damages cells of the body’s immune system. HIV most often spreads through unprotected sex with an infected person. AIDS may also spread by sharing drug needles or through contact with the blood of an infected person.

A blood test for HIV looks for these antibodies. If you have them in your blood, it means that you have HIV infection. People who have the HIV antibodies are called “HIV-Positive.” HIV is a virus that damages human immune cells. It weakens the immune system and leads most people to develop AIDS. Like all viruses, HIV infects the cells of a living organism in order to make copies of itself.

How Do People Get AIDS

Injecting drugs-Injecting drug users are one of the most high-risk groups for exposure to HIV. Sharing injecting equipment is a very efficient way to transmit blood-borne viruses such as HIV and Hepatitits C. Sharing needles and “works” (syringes, spoons, filters and water) is thought to be three times more likely to transmit HIV than sexual intercourse. Disinfecting equipment between use can reduce the chance of transmission, but does not eliminate it entirely.

Sexual Intercourse-HIV is passed on in the sexual fluids or blood of an infected person, so if infected blood or sexual fluid gets into your body, you can become infected. This usually happens by either having sexual intercourse with an infected person or by sharing needles used to inject drugs with an infected person. People can also become infected by being born to a mother who has HIV and a very small number of people become infected by having medical treatment using infected blood transfusions.

Mother to Child Transmission-Being born when their mother is infected, or drinking the breast milk of an infected woman. A newborn baby is at risk of getting the HIV virus from his or her mother if she is infected. This can happen before the baby is born, during birth, or through breastfeeding. Women should be tested for HIV because infected women who receive treatment for HIV are much less likely to spread the virus to their babies. Babies born to mothers infected with HIV are also given special medicines to try to prevent HIV infection.

Use of infected blood products- Many people in the past have been infected with HIV by the use of blood transfusions and blood products which were contaminated with the virus – in hospitals, for example. In much of the world this is no longer a significant risk, as blood donations are routinely tested.

You Cannot Get AIDS from………

Kissing someone on the cheek, also known as social kissing, does not pose any risk of HIV transmission. Deep or open mouthed kissing is considered a very low risk activity for transmission of HIV. This is because HIV is present in saliva but only in very minute quantities, insufficient to lead to HIV infection alone.

You cannot get HIV by eating from the same plate, cup or utensils that an HIV positive person uses.

You cannot get HIV from a HIV positive person’s cough, sneeze or saliva.

You cannot get HIV from a mosquito bite.

Injecting with a sterile needle and works will not transmit HIV as long as clean equipment is used each time and none of it is shared.

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How HIV Spread:
HIV spread by exchange of body fluids such as semen blood and blood products. Most commonly spread by sexual contact with an infected person.
It is spread by sharing needles or syringes which has been exposed to the blood of infected individual (Mostly drug addicts)
It is also transmitted from an infected mother to her baby either before or during child birth or breast feeding.
Symptoms:
Once people is infected with HIV usually remain asymptomatic for year approximately 10 years between exposure & development of AIDS.
        Symptoms are characterized in the following category.

Within 1to 3 week after infection people feel flue like symptoms such as fever, headache, nausea, night sweat, fatigue, rash.
Second phase is symptom free phase that can last ten years or more. In this period person remain in good condition.
In the third phase CD4- T cells fall rapidly, lymph nodes under arm and in the neck become swell and opportunistic infections also develop.
In the 4th phase the immune systems of patient destroy rapidly, weight loss occurs due to anorexia, vomiting, nausea.
In advanced AIDS phase the number of CD4 T cell become very low. Death occurs due to severe life threating opportunistic infection and cancer within two years the most common opportunistic infection in AIDS patient due to protozoa, fungi, bacteria and virus.
AIDS associated cancer include Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Kaposi’s sarcoma, cervical cancer, anogenital cancer etc.

Prevention:
Since there is yet no successful vaccination against HIV, so prevention will depend upon effective precautions.

Always use a sterile, disposable needle and syringe for each patient.
Before reused syringes and needles should be disinfect, clean and strile.
Screening donated blood for HIV.
Discouraging professional blood donor.
By organizing during rehabilitation
Most HIV infections are transmitted through sex with an infected partner so it can be prevented by having only one uninfected sexual partner.
Educate children about HIV before they become sexually active.
Educating women about HIV.
http://www.humaridunya.com/health/aids-disease-cure.php

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