The name "HIV" has been used since 1986 as the name for the retrovirus that was first proposed as the cause of AIDS by Luc Montagnier of France (who initially named it LAV, (Lymphadenopathy - assosciated virus) and by Robert Gallo of the United States (who initially named it HTLV-III, Human T Lymphotropic Virus type III)
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AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, rarely written Aids) is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus HIV, a lentivirus. By leading to the destruction and/or functional impairment of cells of the immune system, notably CD4+ T cells, HIV progressively destroys the body's ability to fight infections and certain cancers.
A person with antibodies to HIV, who has a CD4+T cell count below 200/mm3 or an AIDS defining clinical condition, is diagnosed with AIDS. Although treatments for AIDS exist, there is no cure.
HIV infection is acquired through penetrative (anal or vaginal) and oral sex; blood transfusion; the sharing of contaminated needles in health care settings and through drug injection; and, between mother and infant, during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding.
AIDS is thought to have originated in sub-Saharan Africa during the twentieth century and is now a global epidemic. The World Health Organization estimated that, worldwide, between 2.8 and 3.5 million people with AIDS died in 2004.
> HIV
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a retrovirus that infects cells of the human immune system (mainly CD4+ T Cells and macrophages; vital components of the hosts immune system), and destroys or impairs their function. Infection with HIV results in the progressive depletion of the immune system, leading to "immune deficiency" and has been established as the underlying cause of AIDS.
> hISTORY
The name "HIV" has been used since 1986 as the name for the retrovirus that was first proposed as the cause of AIDS by Luc Montagnier of France (who initially named it LAV, (Lymphadenopathy - assosciated virus) and by Robert Gallo of the United States (who initially named it HTLV-III, Human T Lymphotropic Virus type III)
> TRANSMISSION
HIV is transmitted through penetrative (anal or
vaginal) and oral sex, blood
transfusion, the sharing of contaminated needles in health care
settings and through drug injection, and between mother and infant
during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding according to a leading
international health care source UN AIDS in UNAIDS
transmission. The use of physical barriers such as the latex
condom
is widely advocated to reduce the risk of sexual transmission of HIV.
Recently, it has been proposed that male circumcision
may reduce the risk of HIV transmission [3],
but UNAIDS believes that it is premature to recommend male circumcision
as part of HIV prevention programs. [4]
UNAIDS
estimated that at the end of 2004
there were between 36 and 44 million people around the world living with
HIV, of whom 25 million were in sub-Saharan Africa. Global estimates for
new HIV infection in 2004
were 4.3–6.4 million. (AIDS
epidemic update December 2004).
The epidemic is not homogeneous within regions with
some countries more afflicted than others. Even at the country level
there are wide variations in infection levels between different areas.
Country data indicate that the number of people living with HIV
continues to rise in all parts of the world despite the fact that
effective prevention strategies exist. Sub-Saharan
Africa remains the hardest-hit region with extremely high HIV
prevalence among pregnant
women aged 15–24 reported in a number of countries. The widespread
prevalence of sexually
transmitted diseases (STD), the practice of scarification,
transfusion,
and the state of hygiene
and nutrition
in Africa may facilitate the transmission of HIV-1 in this region. In 2000
the WHO
estimated that 25% of the units of blood transfused in Africa were not
tested for HIV and 5% to 10% of cases of HIV infection in Africa were
transmitted via blood. [5]
In Asia,
the HIV epidemic remains largely concentrated in injecting
drug users, men
who have sex with men, sex
workers, clients of sex workers and their immediate sexual partners.
Effective prevention programming coverage in these populations is
inadequate. Diverse epidemics are under way in Eastern
Europe and Central Asia. Injecting drug use is the main driving
force behind epidemics across this region. In many high-income
countries, sex between men plays an important role in the epidemic
whilst drug injecting plays a varying role. In 2002, it accounted for
more than 10 % of all reported HIV infections in Western
Europe and was responsible for 25% of HIV infections in North
America. In Latin
America and the Caribbean, 11 countries have an estimated national
HIV prevalence of 1% or more
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