AIDS Help

Motto:
AIDS and HIV continue to affect the lives of millions people. Until a vaccine or a cure is found, our greatest weapon against HIV and AIDS is knowledge. In the early 1980s, people living with HIV were not likely to live more than a few years. Now, with the development of safe and effective drugs, HIV positive people have longer and healthier lives.

What is HIV?

HIV is an abbreviation of human immunodeficiency virus. HIV is a virus (of the type called retrovirus) that infects cells of the immune system and destroys or impairs their function. Infection with HIV results in the progressive deterioration of the immune system, leading to immune deficiency.

HIV is found in body fluids including blood, vaginal fluids, semen and breast milk.

Is there a cure for HIV?

No, there is no cure for HIV. By antiretroviral treatment (ART) the progression of the HIV in the body can be slowed down and almost halted. Increasingly, people living with HIV are kept well and productive for very extended periods, even in low income countries.

What is AIDS?

AIDS Definition:

AIDS is an abbreviation of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. AIDS is a term defined by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and by the European Centre for the Epidemiological Monitoring of AIDS (EuroHIV). The term AIDS applies to the most advanced stages of HIV infection, defined by the occurrence of any of more than 20 opportunistic infections or HIV-related cancers.
In addition, the CDC defines AIDS on the basis of a CD4 positive T cell count of less than 200.000 per ml of blood.