HIV/AIDS is a serious global epidemic that has infected over 42 million people worldwide. It attacks the immune system and leaves a person vulnerable to life-threatening infections and illnesses. There is currently no cure for HIV/AIDS, which if left untreated leads to AIDS. Common ways of transmission include unprotected sex, contaminated needles, and from mother to child during pregnancy or childbirth. Testing is available to determine if one has the virus. While treatment can suppress HIV and prolong the healthy lives of many, AIDS remains a major public health challenge.
2. AIDS is one of the most
serious, deadly diseases in
human history.
More than 20 years ago,
doctors in the United States
identified the first cases of
AIDS in San Francisco and
New York. Now there are an
estimated 42 million people
living with HIV or AIDS
worldwide, and more than
3 million die every year
from AIDS-related illnesses.
3. What is it?
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an Immuno
that causes deficiency
AIDS (Acqu Virus) is th
Syndrome) ired Immu e virus
. The HIV a nodeficien
system lea ttacks your cy
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n fight off t y
with HIV m hese infect immune
ay not be a ions, peopl
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infections, from one o n has
they have r more of t
may not de A I D S. A p e hese
velop AIDS rson with H
for many y IV
ears.
4.
5. How do you get it?
Shared
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or other
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uipmen
t
ctu re .
rcing a nd acupun
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Unsteri
Sexua
l interc
ourse
er
e infect ed moth
th
ed ing(from
ry , breast fe
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Pregna ncy, thro
6. You cannot get it from
Coughing and sneezing
Toil
ha nds et s
eat s
g
Shakin
Mosqui
toes an
d other
insects
kissing
Sha
ring
eat
ing Giving
ute Blood
nsil
Swimm ing pools s
7. How can you tell if you have it?
You can have HIV and not know it because you may
have no symptoms for many years. You can develop
a mild flu, 2-4 weeks after becoming infected. If you
had risky behaviour as listed you many want to get
tested. It is important to wait for 12 weeks after your
last risky behaviour or the test may not be
accurate. You can still pass the virus to someone else
without even knowing you have it.
8. How do you get tested?
You need to have a special blood
test to find the virus.
9. The infected
It was estimated that at the HIV tests in females is highest
end of 2006, 729 youth had among youth, with 40.9% of
been diagnosed with AIDS positive HIV reports of
females aged 15-29.
At the end of 2006, there were
58,981 positive HIV cases Women in other age groups
(30-39, 40-49, and over 50)
868 (1.5%) were among youth account for approximately
aged 15-29 years, and 18% - 31% of positive HIV
14,911 (25.3%) were aged test results.
20-29.
10. Are HIV and AIDS the same?
No. When someone is described as
living with HIV, they have the HIV
virus in their body. A person is
considered to have developed AIDS
when the immune system is so weak
it can no longer fight off a range of
diseases with which it would
normally cope.
11.
12.
13. AIDS IN CANADA
At the end of 2005 there were approximately 58,000 (48,000-68,000)
people in Canada living with HIV (including those living with
AIDS),approximately 27% were undiagnosed.
2,558 Canadians were actually diagnosed with HIV in 2006, 14% more
than were diagnosed in 2001.
Women represent a growing proportion of positive HIV test reports in
Canada. 28% of all HIV diagnoses in Canada in 2006 are women. From
1985-1992 they accounted for only 8.9% of HIV infections.
14. AIDS in Africa
two-thirds of all people living
with HIV are found in Africa.
The most obvious effect of this
crisis has been illness and
death.
During 2007 alone, an
estimated 1.5 million adults
and children died as a result of
AIDS in Africa. Since the
beginning of the epidemic
more than 15 million Africans
have died from AIDS.
The impact of AIDS will remain
severe for many years to
come.
15.
16. AIDS is a deadly disease there is no
cure, nor is there a vaccine to
prevent infection
You will die from AIDS
