What are HIV and AIDS?

What are HIV and AIDS?

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It is the virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). AIDS is defined as being HIV positive, and having clinical manifestations of disease consistent with AIDS, which can include bacterial “opportunistic” infections, or neurological, pulmonary, or cardiac complications. “Opportunistic” infections take advantage of a person with HIV, because their immune system is compromised and is unable to fight off infection.
The clinical symptoms of HIV disease in children differ in important ways from those seen in adults. Children have less effective immune control of HIV leading to higher plasma viral loads and perhaps higher tissue loads. Developing organ systems may be more susceptible to direct, virally-mediated damage.

Some of the infections or problems that can happen to children with HIV disease include:
• HIV encephalopathy occurs when HIV crosses into the brain. The parts of the brain most affected are those areas involved with a child's moving and speaking. As a result, children who suffer from encephalopathy can have problems with stiffness or weakness of the arms or legs, poor balance and coordination and may have trouble with crawling or walking. It also may affect a child's ability to talk or learn new words. Normal development is slowed and a child may lose skills that were learned earlier.

• Recurrent bacterial infections include ear infections, blood infections, pneumonias and meningitis, are most common. Children without HIV get these too, but when a child with HIV has these infections again and again, it is a sign that the immune system is damaged.

• Weight loss, not gaining weight, or not growing can happen in children infected with HIV. Children with HIV are often small for their age and may not grow at the same rate as other children. A child may be undersized or underweight because of a specific problem that needs treatment, or because of a loss of appetite related to the HIV and to some of the drug treatments. Gastrointestinal complications are common, such as diarrhea.

Teens infected with HIV can remain healthy for years. However, studies show that certain treatments, including early intervention when you are first infected, can help extend and improve life for a person with HIV.