About HIV/AIDS

PhotoAbout HIV/AIDS: What is AIDS?

What is HIV?
HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. This is the virus that causes AIDS. HIV is different from most other viruses because it attacks the immune system. The immune system gives our bodies the ability to fight infections. HIV finds and destroys a type of white blood cell (T cells or CD4 cells) that the immune system must have to fight disease.

What is AIDS?
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is the term used to describe a wide range of illnesses that can result from the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). HIV damages the immune systems, the body's defense against disease and infection, making the body vulnerable to those illnesses. HIV infection is not now curable, and there is currently no vaccine against AIDS. But most of the illnesses resulting from HIV infection are curable, and some are preventable. Moreover, HIV infection itself is preventable.

What are the signs and symptoms of HIV/AIDS?
The only way to know whether you are infected is to be tested for HIV. You cannot rely on symptoms alone because many people who are infected with HIV do not have symptoms for many years. Someone can look and feel healthy but can still be infected. In fact, one quarter of the HIV-infected persons in the United States do not know that they are infected.

How is HIV transmitted?
HIV can be transmitted in four ways only:

  1. By having unprotected vaginal, anal or oral sex, e.g. sexual intercourse without a latex condom.
  2. By sharing needles or syringes.
  3. Via HIV infected blood or blood products.
  4. Via pregnancy, from an infected mother to her infant.

HIV is found in the following fluids: blood, semen (including pre-ejaculate fluid), vaginal secretions, and breast milk.

How is HIV NOT transmitted?
You cannot get AIDS from mosquitoes, tears, sharing towels, clothing, food or water; kissing; playing sports, or hugging.

What can I do about HIV and AIDS?

  • Don't share needles or syringes.
  • Don't have unprotected sex. Use a latex condom, or practice abstinence.
  • Get tested for HIV. Learn your own HIV status.
  • Volunteer to become a part of a local AIDS organization.
  • Learn about HIV/AIDS. Learn more about safer sex and ways to prevent the spread of HIV. Get the most reliable up-to-date information you can.

 

 

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Upcoming Events:

World AIDS Week/HIV/AIDS Awareness Week

National Testing Day

2nd Annual Grocery Raffle

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HIV/AIDS Statistics

State

  • By the end of 2003, 1,471 people were presumed to be living with HIV infection in Kansas; about 75 percent (or 1,105 persons) had progressed to AIDS
  • 80 percent of all counties in Kansas have been affected by HIV/AIDS
  • Four counties contain more than 100 prevalent HIV/AIDS cases
  • From 2000-2003, the number of cases increased by 35.5 percent
  • From 2000-2003, the number of female cases diagnosed each year has increased 89.6 percent, from 29 cases in 2000 to 55 cases in 2003, while the total number of cases has only increased 23.1 percent
  • Men who have sex with men (MSM) continued to be the most predominant risk group among all prevalent HIV/AIDS cases in Kansas State University Student
  • A study shows that 54.6 percent of those who were HIV positive in Kansas and aware of their status did not seek care in 2003, but had a need for such care

National

  • In 2006, almost three quarters of HIV/AIDS diagnoses among adolescents and adults were for males
  • In 2006, the largest estimated proportion of HIV/AIDS diagnoses among adults and adolescents were for men who have sex with men (MSM), followed by persons infected through high-risk heterosexual contact
  • Although African Americans made up only 13 percent of the population in the 33 states studied, they accounted for almost half of the estimated number of HIV/AIDS diagnoses made during 2006
  • Hispanics and Latinos accounted for 19 percent of new AIDS diagnoses, second only to African Americans
  • At the end of 2006, 448,871 people were living with AIDS in the United States

International

    • Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for almost a third (32 percent) of all new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths globally
    • HIV prevalence exceeded 15 percent in eight Sub-Saharan African countries; no other area of the world has levels this high
    • In 2005, only 33 percent of males and 20 percent of females could correctly identify ways of preventing HIV transmission and reject major misconceptions about HIV transmission
    • An estimated 38.6 million people worldwide were living with HIV at the end of 2005
    • An estimated 4.1 million became newly infected with HIV
    • An estimated 2.8 million lost their lives to AIDS

     

For More Information

  • Would you like more information about HIV/AIDS?
  • Would you like more information about the Regional AIDS Project and its services, our support groups, or any other local services for people living with HIV/AIDS?
  • Would you like to learn more about our educational prevention programs?
  • Would you like to become a volunteer, a member, or make a contribution?
  • Do you have suggestions or questions?

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