This week, The World Health Organization (WHO) released a report that new HIV infections have been reduced by 17% over the past eight years. Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that the number of new cases decreased to less than 59,000 compared to more than 150,000 in the mid-1980s.
Both reports show that HIV prevention has played a key role in reducing the number of cases.
Worldwide efforts and attention has been given to providing educational programs to help prevent the spread of the often deadly disease. The programs provide information similar to:
- Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus that kills or damages cells of the body’s immune system. HIV actively multiplies and interferes with the body’s ability to fight viruses, bacteria, etc., that cause disease. Over time, it makes the body susceptible to certain infections that the body would normally resist.
- HIV is a virus that may be transmitted from person-to-person through the exchange of body fluids (blood, breast milk, semen, and vaginal secretions); it may also be transmitted by sharing needles with those who are infected.
- Depending upon a person’s overall health, and other factors, the symptoms may not appear right away. When they do emerge, they may appear as flu-like illnesses (i.e., fever, headache, tiredness, etc.).
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic, later-stage condition caused by HIV. When the virus has destroyed so much of the body’s defenses, the immune-cell counts fall to critical levels. The critical levels have been known to lead, but not be limited, to pneumonia, brain and other infections, cancers, and death.
According to the CDC, the most reliable ways to avoid becoming infected with or transmitting HIV are:
1) Abstain from sexual intercourse,
2) Be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with an uninfected partner, and
3) Abstain from sharing needles and/or syringes for nonprescription drugs.
Consumers must contact their physician or other medical health care professionals regarding HIV, AIDS, all sexually transmitted diseases, viruses, etc.
For more information, visit these sites:
CDC National Prevention Information Network (NPIN)
World Health Organization (WHO)
World Aids Day (www.worldaidsday.org)
City of St. Louis Department of Health
City of St. Louis Confidential Testing
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