Nearly 33.4 million people worldwide, including 2.1 million children, are living with HIV/AIDS, according to UNAIDS. Each year, there will be approximately 2 million new cases. In North America alone, there are 1.4 million existing cases. In the United States, HIV/AIDS is the sixth-leading cause of death among 25- to 44-year-year-olds, topped by accidental injury, malignancy, suicide, heart disease and homicide. Although great strides have been made in the treatment of HIV/AIDS, a cure remains elusive.
HIV is not AIDS
HIV is the shortened term for human immunodeficiency virus. It belongs to a group of viruses called retroviruses. Retroviruses infect immune cells in the body depleting the body's defense system against disease. These cells are known as T-cells or CD4 cells. Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a clinical disease diagnosed when HIV-infected persons are depleted of CD4 cells to a serum level of less than 200. When the body's CD4 levels are this low, opportunistic infections or infections that would otherwise be destroyed by T-cells, are able to bypass the body's defense mechanisms and cause disease. Treatments for HIV have drastically reduced the number of deaths from HIV/AIDS infection.
HIV is Transmitted Through Blood-to-Blood Contact
There are clear methods of how HIV can be transmitted. Transmission occurs through blood-to-blood contact. Sexual contact is the No. 1 method of HIV transmission, according to the CDC. Sexual transmission encompasses oral, anal and vaginal sex. Although oral sex is difficult to determine, the risk remains. This risk is greatly increased with trauma to the oral cavity. Persons with bleeding gums, ulcers, genital sores or STDs have an increased risk of transmission through oral contact. Following is transmission through needles, usually involving drug use, blood products (in third world countries without antibody detection), mother to child transmission and one documented case of dentist to his patients.
HIV is Not Transmitted by All Contact
Numerous misconceptions exist about how HIV can be transmitted, but most are unsubstantiated myths. There is little to no evidence of HIV transmission by tattooing, body piercing, closed-mouth kissing, biting or transmission through bodily fluids, such as saliva, tears and sweat.
Signs of HIV May Not be Obvious
Infection with HIV may or may not have symptoms. Symptomatic patients may experience symptoms similar to the flu or vague general symptoms that are similar to other diseases including diarrhea, fatigue, frequent yeast infections in women, headaches, mouth sores, muscle stiffness, rashes, dermatitis, sore throat, and enlarged lymph nodes. These symptoms are also common in other diseases. Only a blood test sent to a laboratory can determine a positive diagnosis of HIV infection.
No Cure for HIV
While there are numerous antiretroviral drugs on the market, there is no cure for HIV. Drugs keep the virus at minimal levels; they do not completely eradicate the virus, which can lay dormant for 10 years or more. Patients are living longer and staying healthier, but researchers continue to search for a cure.
