HIV in USA The history of AIDS in USA dates back to 1969, when one single immigrant from Haiti, introduced the disease to the continent. In the early stages of its diagnoses, in the early 80s, the doctors in the USA believed AIDS to be a kind of cancer that occurred due to gay sexual relationships. AIDS was therefore termed as gay cancer, back in the early 80s. However, slowly, it was found that the symptoms of the disease were not just limited to gays, but also intravenous drug users; homosexual and bisexual men and women. Slowly, newborn kids also acquired similar symptoms from their HIV positive mothers. AIDS thus became a serious subject of concern in the 80s. The government took enough measures to control the spread of the disease. Antiretroviral protease inhibitors like saquinavir, ritonavir, indinavir, neflinavir and amprenavir, invented by David Ho, were broadly used as vaccines. Immigration or traveling within the state was strictly restricted for those outsiders, who were diagnosed as HIV positive. Anti HIV drugs were given to the people who had anti T-cell counts less than 300. Use of condoms was encouraged to inhibit the transmission of the disease. Today, more than 1.3 million people are living with HIV AIDS in USA, with around 40,000 new diagnosed cases every year. 74% of the patients are men and 26% are women. That is because, about 51% of the total number of AIDS cases diagnosed, is found to be a result of MSM (men having sex with men). As the state never had any prohibition on homosexuality, MSM had always been on a rise, leading to a faster propagation of the disease. Transmission of HIV, through normal sexual relation, accounts for only 11% of the total number of cases in USA. 51% of the HIV positives in USA are black, 29% are white, 18% are Hispanics and Latinos, and 3% are others. Classification by age reveals that, 27% of the people are within the age group of 40-49. 26% are in between 30 to 39 years of age, 25% are between 20 to 29 years, 13% are between 50 to 59 years of age. 4% of the patients are above 60 and in between 13 to 19 years of age and only 1% of the patients are below 13 years of age. Since 2005, development in the HIV treatment stabilized the further increase in the number AIDS cases, and mortality rate in USA. HIV1 subtype B, is the most dominant virus in the USA. But subtypes A, D and E are also prevalent in many places. Most of these subtypes were penetrated through immigrants and overseas deployment. The most widespread organizations that fight against AIDS in USA are CDC (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention) and Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). Apart from that, organizations like AIDS Action, AIDS Care Watch, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, AIDS Treatment Data Network and American Foundation for AIDS Research also look into the problems of the disease. It can be said that USA, at one point of time, was tremendously affected by AIDS. But, it took the best possible efforts, through research and public initiative, to curb the effect of the disease. Now the situation is under better control.

What does the saliva do?

What does the saliva do?

HIV requires a good quantity of salt for its survival. Therefore, blood gives HIV the most favorable environment for propagation. Saliva, on the contrary, deactivates 90% of the HIV- infected leukocytes, due to lack of salt. Leukocytes or the blood cells, which help in the transmission of HIV to the mucosal surface, fail to succeed in their purpose. The HIV in saliva expands and bursts, due to lack of salt.

Therefore the saliva serves two purposes :

• Its antiseptic property kills the freely moving HIV in saliva and other parts of our mouth
• It destroys those HIV infected cells, which are the main culprits in the transmission of the disease.

For all these reasons HIV does not transfer from mouth to mouth contact.

Nevertheless, the transmission of HIV through kissing is only possible, if both the partners have deep sore in their mouths, deep cut, or heavily bleeding gums. However, the reason behind this contraction cannot exactly be pertained to saliva. Rather, it would be the blood, that would act as the carrier of the HIV virus from one person into the blood stream of the other.

Other bodily fluids that are free from HIV are sweats, tears and urine. Therefore, one should not panic if he is exposed to these bodily fluids of an HIV positive person. There is no harm in:

• Sharing food
• Eating together
• Using the same toilet
• Sharing clothes
• Sharing the same swimming pool

The fluids that can cause harm are blood, semen and breast milk. Therefore, before coming to contact with these fluids, one must take enough precautions.