Get the Facts
- What is HIV, and how is it different from AIDS?
- How does someone get HIV?
- When should I start taking medicines for HIV?
- A Global Crisis
- The Epidemic in Black America
- The Impact on Black Women
HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system. Your immune system protects you from germs and infections to keep you from getting sick. Once HIV is in your system, it lowers the number of healthy immune cells that you have to fight germs and infections. When the number of healthy cells drops low and you get certain infections, this is known as AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome).
For some people it takes a long time for AIDS to develop, for others it takes less time.
People get infected with HIV through bodily fluids such as blood, semen, breast milk, and vaginal fluids – but not saliva. These fluids can be passed between two people in a variety of ways, including having unprotected sex (oral, vaginal, or anal), sharing needles, or even from tattooing or body piercing. Kissing is usually okay, but it is safest to avoid “deep kissing.” People do not get HIV by hugging, shaking hands, bug bites, spit, or living with someone who has HIV.
You should get tested for HIV if you have ever had unprotected sex (oral, vaginal or anal) or if you have had contact with body fluids of someone who may be HIV positive.
Experts agree that people who have certain infections or symptoms should start treatment. But many people with HIV infection do not have symptoms. For these people, it can be hard to know the best time to start taking medicines.
Doctors look at CD4 T-cell counts (a measure of the strength of our immune system) and viral load (amount of HIV in the blood) to help decide when a patient should start taking medicines. Most experts agree people starting HIV therapy should be mentally and emotionally ready to take their medicines correctly. This is not easy to do every day. HIV medicines have side effects, and often it is hard to remember to take HIV medicines on time. You and your doctor should discuss when to start treatment.
Taking medicines correctly helps you to fight back against the virus.
Once you start taking HIV medicines, though, it is very important to take them exactly as prescribed by your doctor. If HIV medicines are not taken properly, it can allow the virus to take over again. This can lead to resistance, which means that the medicines no longer work against HIV. It helps to be informed before you start taking HIV medicines.
The AIDS epidemic is one of the greatest threats facing the world today and no country is safe. HIV/AIDS cases have been reported in every region of the world.
An estimated 38.6 million people worldwide were living with the virus in 2005, which is about twice the number as in 1995.1
During 2005, an estimated 4.1 million people worldwide became newly infected with HIV.2
An estimated 2.8 million people worldwide lost their lives to AIDS in 2005.1
The AIDS virus is not just attacking Africa. It has also had a major impact on the United States. It is increasing among Blacks, Hispanics and Women more than any other groups.
In the United States, more people than ever were living with HIV in 2005: 1.2 million [720-000-2.0 million].1
Blacks make up 13% of the US population3 but account for 50% of new HIV cases in 2004.4
For more information, feel free to read The State of AIDS in Black America, 25 Years of AIDS and Black America or An Overview of HIV/AIDS in Black America.
The number of women with HIV has steadily increased. In 2006 women account for more than one quarter of all new HIV/AIDS diagnoses.5
In the United States in 2002, HIV infection was the leading cause of death for African-American women aged 25-34 years.5
Black women accounted for 68% of new HIV/AIDS diagnoses during 2001-2004. 5
For more information, feel free to read
Getting Real: Black Women Taking Charge in the Fight Against AIDS
1. UNAIDS, 2006 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic, May 2006
2. http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/surveillance/basic.htm. Accessed on 10/13/06 drawing on information from CDC, HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report 2004, Vol 16, 2004
3. http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html. Accessed 9/18/06 U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Population Estimates
4. CDC. HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report Cases of HIV infection and AIDS in the United States, 2004. Vol 16. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, CDC: 2005: 1-46
5. CDC. HIV/AIDS Fact Sheet. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/women/index.htm
2. http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/surveillance/basic.htm. Accessed on 10/13/06 drawing on information from CDC, HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report 2004, Vol 16, 2004
3. http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html. Accessed 9/18/06 U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Population Estimates
4. CDC. HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report Cases of HIV infection and AIDS in the United States, 2004. Vol 16. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, CDC: 2005: 1-46
5. CDC. HIV/AIDS Fact Sheet. Available at http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/women/index.htm
