AIDS;

 

 How AIDS cause? Can you recover from AIDS？Can AIDS kills？What are HIV/AIDS? Where did HIV come from? How do I know if I have HIV? you have all these questions in your mind then lets see the HIV/AIDS: causes symptoms treatments and more. 

 The word AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. This means deficiency of immune system, acquired during the lifetime of an individual indicating that it is not a congenital disease. Syndrome means a group of symptoms. AIDS was first reported in 1981 and in the last 25 years or so, it has spread all over the world killing more than 25 million persons.

Cause;

 AIDS is caused by the Human Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV), a member of group of viruses called retrovirus.

Transmission of HIV-infection generally occurs by

a) Sexual contact with infected person

b) By transfusion of contaminated blood and blood products 

c) By sharing infected needles as in case of intravenous drug abusers and 

d) Children born to an HIV infected mother.

 It is important to note that HIV is not spread by mere touch or physical contact; it spreads only through body fluids. It is hence imperative, for the physical and psychological well-being, that the HIV infected persons are not isolated from family and society. There is always a time lag between the infection and appearance of the AIDS symptoms. Generally this period is between 5-10 year.

Detection and prevention; 

 A widely used diagnostic test for AIDS is enzyme linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA).

 Literary AIDS has no cure, so prevention is the best option. Moreover, HIV infection spreads due to conscious behavior patterns and it is not something that happens inadvertently, like pneumonia or typhoid. Of course the only excuse is ignorance and it is rightly said - “don’t die of ignorance”. In our country the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) and other non-government organizations(NGOs) are doing a lot to educate people about AIDS. WHO has started a number of programmes to prevent the spreading of HIV infection. Making blood safe from HIV,ensuring the use of only disposable needles and syringes in public and private hospitals and clinics, free distribution of condoms, controlling drug abuse, advocating safe sex and promoting regular check-ups for HIV in susceptible populations, are some such steps taken up.

 Infection with HIV or having AIDS is something that should not be hiddien - since then, the infection may spread to many more people. HIV infected people need help and sympathy instead of be dealt with in a collective manner - the chances of wider spread of the disease increase manifold. It is a malady that can only be tackeled, by the society and medical fraternity acting together, to prevent the spread of the disease.