HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is where it starts. It is the infection that damages your immune system, causing it to become susceptible to various diseases your body might otherwise have the ability to fight. AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is the chronic, life-threatening end stage of HIV for which there is no cure. While medications can slow the progression from HIV to AIDS, the only way true way to "treat" this disease is to prevent the spread of it.
Unprotected Sex
Oral, vaginal, anal--any type of sexual intercourse places you at risk for HIV and AIDS if it is unprotected. During intercourse, miniscule tears can develop in the vagina or rectum. It is through these tears, explains the Mayo Clinic, that the virus enters your bloodstream. To prevent this, use a latex condom.
While transmission through oral sex is bit more rare, it is still possible if you have bleeding gums or open sores in your mouth. The virus is present in vaginal secretions and semen. If your partner is not wearing a condom during oral sex, the virus can enter your bloodstream through these areas in your mouth.
Multiple Sex Partners
Having multiple sex partners places you at risk as well. Being promiscuous inhibits your ability to learn your partner's sexual history, as well as his HIV status. To prevent becoming infected, it is important to be in a monogamous relationship and remain faithful to your partner. Before allowing yourself to have unprotected sex, insist that both you and your partner undergo HIV testing.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that people with sexually transmitted diseases such as syphilis, chlamydia, herpes and gonorrhea increase your risk of developing HIV/AIDS. Not only do these diseases weaken your immune system, making it easier for the virus to attack your body, they also create open sores and ulcerations that make it easier for the infection to enter your bloodstream.
Mother to Child
Approximately 600,000 infants are infected each year with HIV via pregnancy, delivery or breast-feeding, according to the Mayo Clinic. To significantly reduce this number, the expectant mother can receive treatments with anti-retroviral medications--medications used to treat HIV--during her pregnancy.
Another way to reduce the number of infected infants is delivering them via Caesarean section--this prevents the newborn from coming into contact with the mother's vaginal and bodily fluids.
Bottle-feeding versus breast-feeding is a way of protecting infants. Under normal circumstances, breast milk is considered healthier for infants. However, when the mother is HIV positive, her breast milk contains the HIV antibody, which can be transmitted to her child.
Injectable Drug Needles
When using injectable drugs, the user's blood contaminates the needle and syringe. If this user is HIV positive and shares his paraphernalia with another user, the new user is not only injecting the drug into his bloodstream, but the HIV infection as well.
The most obvious way to prevent this is to stop using drugs. The next best option is to use sterile needles or syringes each time you use. If you do not have access to clean needles, your community may offer a needle exchange program. These programs give you sterile needles in exchange for those you have used.
