GENERAL INFORMATION ON HIV / AIDS
What does AIDS stand for?
How did HIV / AIDS originate?
What are HIV 1 and HIV 2?
How did AIDS come to India?
What is the difference between a person infected with HIV and one who has AIDS?
Who can get AIDS?
Are women more at risk of getting HIV infection than men?
How does the HIV virus attack the immune system?
What happens to the virus outside the body?
Is AIDS an inherited disease?
Do animals get AIDS?

What does AIDS stand for?

AIDS is the abbreviation of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.

How did HIV / AIDS originate?

There are several theories regarding the origin of HIV/AIDS but so far there is no scientific agreement on any one of them. It is only of academic interest to know where the virus originated. The most important fact to remember is that AIDS is likely to stay with us for a very long time even if a cure or vaccine is developed and only immediate preventive measures can stem its growth.

What are HIV 1 and HIV 2?

HIV 1 and HIV 2 are viruses, which belong to the same family but vary, in their genetic makeup. HIV 1 was first detected in 1983 and is more prevalent in Europe and America. HIV 2 was first discovered in 1986 and is more prevalent in Africa. Both HIV 1 and HIV 2 have been detected in India and both lead to AIDS.

How did AIDS come to India?

The first HIV Positive people in India were detected in 1986. It is any ones guess as to how and when the virus actually entered India.

What is the difference between a person infected with HIV and one who has AIDS?

An HIV infected person is one who has the Human Immune Deficiency Virus in his / her body. Such a person remains infected and is infective for the rest of his / her life. He / she will appear to be perfectly normal and healthy and will be a symptomatic. A symptomatic HIV infected person does not have AIDS. When an HIV positive person's T-lymphocyte count falls to 200 or less he / she starts developing AIDS. All persons with AIDS are infected with HIV but all persons with HIV infection do not have AIDS. AIDS is the end stage of this infection.

Who can get AIDS?

Anyone can become infected with HIV regardless of age, sex, caste or economic status.

Are women more at risk of getting HIV infection than men?

Women are more prone to HIV infection. Reasons are: -

" Concentration of HIV in semen is very high.
" Surface of exposure in women is larger and facilitates easier entry of the virus.
" Women may have chronic Cervicitis i.e. inflammation of the cervix which may go unnoticed and untreated. This also facilitates easy entry of the virus.
" Women tend to get married at a younger age. The genital tract is not mature enough and makes them more vulnerable to STDs and HIV.

How does the HIV virus attack the immune system?

Once the virus enters the body it becomes attached to a type of white blood cell called T- lymphocyte (which is the T-cell in the human body's protection against infections) The RNA genetic material of the virus gets converted to DNA genetic material by an enzyme that the virus produces. This virus DNA gets incorporated into the DNA of the human cell and remains there for the lifetime of that individual. This infected cell now becomes a virus-producing factory producing more viruses, which attacks new lymphocyte and destroys them. Over a period of years the T-cell count of the infected person drops drastically and the person develops AIDS.

What happens to the virus outside the body?

The HIV virus is fragile. Once the virus is outside the body in a dry form it dies. Even in a wet state it dies when exposed to heat, detergents or disinfectants.

Is AIDS an inherited disease?

AIDS is not a hereditary disease. It is not passed on from generation to generation.

Do animals get AIDS?

Animals do not get the HIV infection. It is known that animals do develop some immune deficiencies caused by viruses similar to HIV but these are not infectious for humans.