HIV/AIDS was first recognised in 1981, and in the time since then more than 65 million people have contracted HIV and more than 25 million have died of AIDS. It is estimated by the United Nations that more than 33 million people are currently living with HIV/AIDS.

HIV stands for Human Immuno-deficiency Virus.

  Human = The strain of the disease occurs in humans

  Immuno deficiency = weakness or break down of the body's main fighting mechanism: the immune system

  Virus = A micro organism that can cause disease in humans, animals or plants.

It is an infection that causes break down and failure of part of the immune system.

It is a retrovirus, which means it moves in reverse direction to the natural cycle of the body's own cells, making it easier to spread and harder to find effective preventative measures once the virus is in the system.

AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

  Acquired = Not genetically inherited

  Immune deficiency = weakness or break down of the body's main fighting mechanism: the immune system

  Syndrome = A group of diseases; not just one disease. In this case the diseases are called opportunistic infections that take advantage of the body's weakened immune system. The amount and severity of the infections a person with HIV has are used to define the onset of AIDS.

A syndrome is not a disease, its a group a problems

which might suggest a particular cause.

Some who has HIV does not necessarily have AIDS, but HIV does cause AIDS. HIV weakens the body's immune system leaving it open to various infections and cancers.

Depending on how healthy you are when you contract HIV will determine how quickly it progresses to AIDS, for many people this transition can take years.

HIV can be contracted via one of three ways:

- sexually transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse (vaginal or anal) with an infected partner (this happens through the transfer of infected body fluids). Unprotected oral sex with someone who has HIV is possible but a lower risk.

 - Sharing needles or other contaminated injection or skin-piercing equipment with an infected person (this also happens through the transfer of infected blood)

 - Transmission from infected mother to child during birth and through breastfeeding.

Currently there is no vaccine or cure for HIV or AIDS. There are drug treatments available that slow the effects of HIV and can delay the onset of AIDS.

Blood tests can determine whether they are HIV positive or not.

We live in a world in which we have allowed a preventable disease to thrive in the human family for 27 years

We live in a world in which every eight seconds a child, women or man dies of AIDS

We live in a world in which 10,000 people die every day of AIDS

We live in a world in which AIDS is just in its early stages and chances are it will only get worse

We live in a world, and at a time, when our generation needs to stand up and create a legacy of change

We live in a world in which the human right to health does not exist for many people

Young people between the ages of 15-24 are most at risk of contracting HIV

In Australia (most recent stats):

- By December 2006 26,267 people had been diagnosed with HIV in Australia

- 10,125 diagnoses of AIDS and 6,723 deaths from AIDS

- In 2006 998 new HIV diagnoses, an increase of 235 from 2000.

If you would like to find out more check out our Student Fact Sheet

For more facts and information check out YEAH's resources/online activities page

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