WHAT ARE HIV AND AIDS?
HIV is the
virus that causes AIDS. It is the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Usually a person has the virus for months or years before
any signs of illness appear. It slowly weakens the body's ability to fight off illness. People with AIDS can have serious
infections and cancers. These illnesses make them very sick and can eventually kill them.
HISTORY OF
HIV/AIDS
1981
About 401 cases of this new syndrome were reported in the U.S.
The first working name for the epidemic was Gay Related Immune Deficiency (GRID). At this stage, the scientific evidence was
missing to identify the infectious agent and to verify the transmission routes.
1987
AZT
was licensed by the FDA as the first drug to combat HIV directly.
1991
In November, Magic
Johnson announced that he was infected with HIV.
1994
A clinical trial on the use of AZT
showed that prenatal HIV transmission from mother to child could be greatly reduced.
1995
The
FDA offered preliminary approval to Saquinavir, the first of a new class of antiretroviral drugs called protease inhibitors.
Trials were instituted to test “cocktail” (combinations of different classes of drugs) approaches to treatment.
1996
The FDA recommended that blood banks and plasma centers add a test for the p24 antigen.
Oral fluid testing using EIA and Western Blot methods was approved by the FDA.
1998
Baton Rouge AIDS Society was founded as the first minority AIDS Servicing Organization in the Greater Baton Rouge
Area. As a Testing and Training Center, BRASS has served over 3,000 people each year that it has been in operation.
COMMON MISPERCEPTIONS
ABOUT HIV TRANSMISSION
Kissing! Because of the potential for contact with blood during “French”
kissing, the CDC recommends against engaging in this activity with a person known to be infected.
Saliva! Saliva,
tears and sweat – HIV has been found in saliva and tears in very low quantities from some AIDS patients. It is important
to understand that finding a small amount of HIV in a body fluid does not necessarily mean that HIV can be transmitted by
that fluid.
Insect! Unlike yellow fever and malaria, HIV doesn’t live for long periods of time or reproduce
inside the insect. Furthermore, a mosquito does not inject its own or a previously bitten person’s blood when it bites
someone.
Over time, HIV weakens the immune system by infecting and killing certain white blood cells.
In the latter stage of the virus, after the immune system is significantly weakened, people with HIV get one or more "opportunistic"
infections.
Magic Johnson has become an unofficial spokesman for this disease. A vigorous and healthy man living
with HIV, he got infected through heterosexual intercourse.
It often takes many, many years for somebody infected
with HIV to have their immune system weakened to the point where these opportunistic infections (and unusual cancers) can
occur. Once somebody begins to get these infections, they are said to have AIDS.
The disease was first defined
by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention) in 1981. It is estimated that over a million Americans
are infected with HIV (one in every 250 people). Over 20 million people are infected worldwide. In some areas
of Africa, 1 out of every 2 people have HIV!
Early HIV diagnosis and entry into health care system have both individual
and societal benefits: improved health and productivity, reduced hospitalization costs, and decreased transmission from persons
who do not know their HIV status. First, those who learn of their infection can take steps to avoid infecting others.
Second, early treatment with new anti-viral medicines can slow the progression of the disease. Third, many of the opportunistic
diseases can be prevented before they occur by using antibiotics and other medicines.
Though excellent and continually
improving treatment is prolonging life and slowing the course of this disease, HIV infection is still considered to be nearly
100% fatal (even the Ebola virus isn't that vicious)!
