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HIV / Aids information

HIV is the virus that caused Aids. HIV means "Humane Immuno deficiency Virus". Our defense system can, without treatment, get serious affected by Aids. The body is no longer protected against serious infections and tumors. Pneumonia of the flue can be deathly for people with Aids. When somebody is HIV positive, that does not mean that he of she has Aids. "Aids" is the abbreviation for "Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome". So Aids is a syndrome: clinical symptoms that occur together by one person. HIV is a virus, Aids a illness caused by HIV.

How did Aids exist?

The disease occurred for the first time in America and a little bit later in Europe. 9 out of 10 people that got sick were gay. That is why initially scientists thought that it was a "gay disease". Later, in 1982, this seemed not true when also drug users and people with hemophilia got infected. Blood transfusions with infected blood infected the last group. According to doctors and professors, HIV is originally a disease of apes. The hunt after apes and the trade of apes brought the disease towards the human.

How do people get Aids?

People only get Aids when they get infected by the HIV virus. This infection can be caused by sexual contacts with somebody that bears the virus. Also contact (blood transfusion, needles of drugs users) with infected blood can give somebody HIV. HIV-positive women (carriers of HIV) who are pregnant can carry the virus to their baby during the pregnancy, the delivery or at breast-feeding. HIV as an incubation time of 9 to 10 years. That means that somebody who is HIV-positive gets really sick after 9 to 10 years. When they get sick, HIV moves over to Aids.

Consequences of Aids

Aids causes a reduced operation of the defense system. The defense against certain threats is being broken down. People with Aids get sick faster and can have multiple diseases at the same time. Pneumonia, cancer, herpes infections and chronicle diarrhea often occur by Aids patients.

How can infection be prevented?

Infection with HIV is carried on most by sexual contacts and the use of infected needles. To prevent infection it is important to have safe sex with a condom and to be careful. Drug addicts have to take care of clean neadles. Just as every virus, infection can not be 100% prevented. But reducing the amount of infections will finally make an end to the epidemic like in Africa.

NABUUR and HIV/Aids information

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