WHAT IS AIDS?

ACQUIRED, how? The blood, vaginal fluid, semen, and breast milk of people with the AIDS virus contains enough of the virus to transmit it to another person.  Most people who have acquired the AIDS virus have done so by having sex with an infected person, sharing a needle with one, or being born to a mother who is infected.

IMMUNE DEFICIENCY? Catching the AIDS virus can be lethal because it affects the immune system, which is the system in the body that fights against diseases.  A person with the AIDS virus has lower levels of CD4+ cells. These cells, commonly called "T-helper" cells are an essential part of the immune system. Normal people usually have between 500 to 1,500 CD4+ cells in a milliliter of blood.

SYNDROME, what syndrome? A syndrome is a health related problem that accompanies a disease.  Acquiring AIDS has many side affects.  As the CD4+ levels in an AIDS patient decrease, side affects including fevers, night sweats, diarrhea or swollen lymph nodes increase.
 

Q: What's the difference between AIDS and HIV?
A: AIDS is caused by the virus called the Human Immunodefiency Virus or HIV.  HIV is a retrovirus.  Initially when your body is infected with the virus, it takes time for it to take its toll on the immune system. At this point its affect may not be apparent for years.  HIV becomes AIDS when one has less than 200 CD4+ cells per milliliter in their blood.

Q: Can you tell whether a person has AIDS just by there physical appearance?
A: No. You can't tell by simply looking at someone. They may appear completely healthy.

Q: Is it possible to get AIDS by the transmission of fluids such as tears or saliva?
A: No. There hasn't been any documented cases of such an occurrence. However, a person can get AIDS through oral sex, and there is a greater risk if your partner has open sores in his or her mouth or gums.

Q: How do people with AIDS eventually die?
A: Eventually a person with full blown AIDS will have such a weak immune system that they are unable to fight off any form of sickness. Thus they can die by being exposed to opportunistic infections such as viruses, parasites, fungi and bacteria that are normally fought off by the immune systems of healthy individuals.

Q:  Is there a cure for AIDS?
A:  No, sadly there is no cure.  However, researchers are hard at work looking for one, and in the mean time there are many drugs that can lessen the symptoms of AIDS patients.

Q:  What kind of research is being done?.
A:  Continue on through the web site and you will learn how the technique of x-ray crystallography is helping scientists learn more about the HIV virus.