A Little Knowledge
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or commonly known as AIDS
is caused by Human ImmuneDeficiency Virus aka HIV. Many researchers believe that HIV was originated in Sub-Saharan-Africa in early 20th century. HIV destroys the immune system of our body and makes us vulnerable to all sorts of viruses and bacteria. In simpler word HIV makes us to go into battle without any armor or weapons. The final stage of being contaminated by HIV is called having AIDS. If an HIV positive person doesn’t undergo treatment in time, it may take 8-10 years for him to become contaminated by AIDS. And let me tell you that *no cure* for AIDS/HIV has been invented yet. In time treatments can only *prolong* the lives of HIV positive persons.A Little Statistics
AIDS is an epidemic. Though the number of HIV victims has reduced over the last couple of years we are still in extreme danger. Currently there are some 32.2 million people in the world who are living with this disease. In 2007 alone about 2.1 million people including 330,000 children were killed by this life-talking (not ‘life-threatening’) disease. Three-quarters of these deaths occurred in Sub Saharan Africa. More than 11 million children have been orphaned by AIDS. The number of HIV contamination in Bangladesh is low. At present there are some 1,495 victims of this virus in our country. But we are also at high risk as our neighboring countries like India (2-3 million) and Myanmar (200,000-520,000) have a higher percentage of people who are carrying this disease.
How Is It Transmitted
One can only be contaminated by AIDS by another *HIV/AIDS victim*.
HIV/AIDS is transmitted through body fluids like *infected* blood, semen, vaginal fluid and breast milk. It *does not* spread through saliva. Drug addicts are often found HIV positive as they often seem to share a common needle when they injected drugs in their bodies. If they have one HIV+ person among them they all get contaminated by using the same needle he used earlier. Not caring (or not knowing) about safe sex is one of the main causes of AIDS. Having multiple unfaithful/careless sex partners increase the risk of being contaminated by sex. Prostitution and homosexuality play a major role in AIDS. Birth control pills can’t prevent AIDS or other sexual diseases. Not wearing condoms properly or not wearing them at all can/will increase the number of HIV+ persons. If an HIV positive woman conceives a baby there is a high *chance* that the baby will born being contaminated by HIV/AIDS. I advice HIV+ mothers to not to breast feed their children as it can kill him eventually.AIDS *does not* spread by French kissing (unless there is blood in the mouth), taking bath in the same bathtub, eating in the same plate, drinking in the same glass or sharing the same bed.
Some Symptoms
Many people don’t have any symptoms at the early stage of HIV infection. Some may suffer from flu-like illness after 3-6 months of contamination- this illness may include fever, tiredness, diarrhoea, headache, enlarged lymph nodes etc. HIV triggers various diseases which normally don’t affect human body. It increases the risk of various cancers. The later symptoms of HIV contamination may include massive weight loss, lack of energy, lack of concentration, memory loss, personality change, shortness of breath, severe pain in arms and feet, vaginal infections, frequent fever and headache.
Prevention Is Better Than Cure
Once again let me say that there is (still) no cure for HIV/AIDS. So prevention is the only way.
*Be Smart, Use a Condom*
As no one will listen to me if I talk about abstinence, I will talk about safe sex instead. Try to be faithful to you spouse/partner. If you have multiple sex partners than you must use condoms as condoms (male/female) are the only sure way to prevent HIV contamination by sexual intercourses. If you are at the giving end of oral sex then you must keep a good oral hygiene and remember *not to* brush right before/after giving oral sex. The person at the receiving end of oral sex does not get contaminated by HIV (unless the giver’s mouth is bloody). *Source: AIDS and oral sex, male/female condoms.
*Don’t Do Drugs*
Don’t do drugs. But if you do, then be sure not to inject ‘stuff’ in you. But if you do, then don’t use the same needle.
Friends, let’s be safe. Let’s love our lives and respect the feelings of the person next to us. I strongly believe that by raising awareness, by being aware we can fight this global epidemic. I believe that one day soon AIDS will vanish from this beautiful earth of ours. Let’s be safe.
*This post was the runner up in a blog carnival.
(If you were helped by this post or liked this post then you might consider subscribing to stay connected)
There you have it in a nutshell. Great post!
ReplyDeleteThis is a well written and informative blog. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks :)
ReplyDelete