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The thought of contracting AIDS is
frightening. And there is good reason for that
fear -- the disease is presently incurable, it
has a high mortality rate, it spreads quickly
and there is no vaccine to protect against it.
In today's world, that combination is rare.
Source: NIAID
The term AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency
Syndrome) applies to the most advanced stages of
HIV infection. The CDC (Center for Disease
Control) defines the beginning of AIDS as when a
person with HIV infection has either a T-cell
count below 200 per cubic millimeter of blood
(healthy adults usually have T-cell counts of
1,000 or more), or one of several conditions
associated with a weakened immune response. The
progression from HIV to AIDS takes anywhere from
two to 15 years.
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href="#Currently">
Currently there is no known cure for AIDS;
however, treatments can slow down the rate at
which the HIV/AIDS virus weakens the immune
system. |
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the
virus that causes AIDS. HIV infects one
particular type of immune-system cell - the CD4,
or T-helper cell. The lack of T-cells
compromises the immune system, rendering the
body unable to fight off infections and cancer.
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Source: Sumanas, Inc.
Multimedia Development Services
No one dies from AIDS or HIV specifically. An
AIDS-infected person dies from infections, due
to a compromised immune system. |
