AIDS Faqs
AIDS is a topic that many people are too frightened to even think about. Consequently, many people have
distorted views of the disease or have a lack of general information regarding it. In this article, we’ll attempt
to
demystify some of the questions that people commonly have regarding the disease so that
you’ll have a better idea of exactly what the HIV virus and AIDS are and what the disease can do to you.
Question: I have recently contracted the HIV virus. How long does it take for the virus to cause AIDS?|
Answer: While the exact length of time does tend to vary from individual to individual, it generally takes between
eight and eleven years for a case of AIDS to be diagnosed after becoming infected with the HIV virus. Many of the
medications that are available to treat AIDS work to slow down the progress of the HIV virus, so it is important to
diagnose the problem early so that you can get a good head-start on the virus before it progresses too much.
Question: Where did AIDS come from?
Answer: While we don’t have all of the answers regarding the origin of the AIDS disease, there is a widely believed
hypothesis that the disease was passed from a species of chimpanzee to humans. The disease probably crossed the
species boundary by blood contact that occurred while hunting the animals.
Did You Know?
|
In today’s enlightened world we know that AIDS is spread through direct contact
with body fluids of people who have been infected with HIV.
You can get AIDS from practicing unsafe sex, from having multiple sexual partners,
or born to or breast-fed from an HIV-positive woman. It is rare for someone to get AIDS by having a
contaminated organ donation or from contact with unsanitary dental equipment.
You can be infected by sharing contaminated needles with other drug users, having
sexually transmitted diseases or by having a contaminated blood transfusion before 1985.
The AIDS virus can go undetected for over ten years but it is destroying the immune
system without your knowledge. Remember to be safe! You can get AIDS by both homosexual and
heterosexual sexual activity.
Take precautions with all of your sexual partners. If you are a member of the
medical profession, take extra precautions to not touch a patient’s bodily fluids.
|
Question: How is AIDS transmitted?
Answer: This is a question that many people wonder about but fail to learn about. The HIV virus can be transmitted
from person to person by contact with the blood, semen, vaginal secretions or breast milk of the infected
individual. Blood transfusions and sharing needles may cause one to develop AIDS, as well as many forms of sexual
contact. Saliva, tears, sweat, feces, and urine do not carry the HIV virus, a fact that few people realize. The
risk of transmitting the HIV virus during oral sex is low, yet still possible. Consequently, the risk of
transmitting the virus through kissing is low, but generally not recommended. Mothers may spread the disease to
their children, with the rate of infection being roughly 25 percent.
Question: How widespread is AIDS throughout the world?
Answer: Estimates that were made in the year of 2000 showed that approximately 36.1 million people throughout the
world were living with AIDS. At that point, research had also shown that approximately 21.8 million people had died
from the disease since it began spreading. The same study also showed some results for the number of AIDS cases
present in the United States. Between eight hundred thousand and nine hundred thousand was the approximate range of
people in the United States afflicted with the disease.
|
AIDS Facts
Aids and HIV is currently infecting more heterosexuals than homosexuals because the
gay community has become far more aware of safer sex practices.
Practice safer sex if you have more than one sexual partner or if you are in a new
relationship. Get yourself tested regularly.
|
Hopefully, this article taught you some useful information regarding the origins of the disease and
the rates of infection across the world, as well as how you can avoid contracting the disease and how long it takes
for the disease to progress from the HIV virus to full-blown AIDS.
| 