AIDS stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome.

AIDS

AIDS stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. AIDS is one of the most fatal viruses in the nation. It is a serious public health concern in most major U.S. cities and in countries worldwide. Since 1986 there have been impressive advances in understanding of the AIDS virus, its mechanisms, and its routes of transmission. With AIDS being the leading cause of death among adults, individuals are now taking more precautions with sexual intercourse, and medical facilities are screening blood more thoroughly. A diagnosis of AIDS is made by a physician using specific clinical or laboratory standards. AIDS

Public concern is higher then it was 10 years ago, but that's because people are starting to realize that not everyone is immune to it, as of right now the only ones immune to the HIV virus are baboons. When the health objectives for 1990 were developed, AIDS had not entered the medical vocabulary. is caused by infection with a virus called human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The following are some of the agents that have been proposed as predisposing factors for HIV: alcohol, cocaine, heroine, morphine, marihuana, cigarette smoking, amphetamines, volatile inhalants like "poppers", environmental chemical pollutants, allergens, CMV, herpes virus type 1, 2, & 6, herpes zoster, EBV, adenovirus, retroviruses other than HIV, hepatitis A, B, & C viruses, papovavirus, mycoplasmas and other superantigens, tuberculosis, leprosy, malaria, trypanosomiasis, filariasis, other tropical diseases, sexually transmitted diseases, semen, blood, factor VIII, anxiety, depression, lack of sleep and rest, exhaustible exercise, unsanitary conditions, poverty, malnutrition, and several vitamin deficiencies. In addition, infected pregnant women can pass HIV to their babies during pregnancy or delivery, as well as through breast feeding. This virus is passed from one person to another through blood-to-blood and sexual contact. Some of these people will develop AIDS as a result of their HIV infection. By 1990, however, 128,319 AIDS cases had been reported in the United States, approximately one million Americans are infected. However, there are ways to prevent HIV, some of those ways are: abstinence, condoms, not sharing needles used for IV drugs. At this point in time there is no cure, nor is there a vaccination. People with HIV have what is called HIV infection. However, these statistics were from 1986, 11 years later it has grown to more, not just in homosexual and bisexual men, but also in heterosexual sexual intercourse. AIDS is the leading cause of death in homosexual, and bisexual adult men.