HIV AWARENESS / AIDS

1
WHO.FactSheet.Updated.Nov2014

The red ribbon
is the
universal symbol
Of
awareness and support
for those living with
HIV.

The most advanced stage of HIV infection is
Acquired Immuno deficiency Syndrome (AIDS),
which can take from 2 to 15 years to develop
depending on the individual.

2

Transmission
of
HIV Infection

HIV can be
transmitted
Via

7

BREAST
FEEDING

OCCUPATIONAL
EXPOSURE

The symptoms of HIV vary depending on the
stage of infection.
Though people living with HIV tend to be most
infectious in the first few months,
many are unaware of their status until later
stages.
SYMPTOMS OF HIV
INFECTION

The first few weeks after initial infection,
individuals may experience :
No Symptoms
OR

Or an influenza-like illness
including
Fever > 1 month
Sorethroat
Headache
Rash

As the infection progressively weakens
the person's immune system,
the individual can develop other
signs and symptoms such as :

Persistent Diarrhoea > 1 month

MOTHER
TO
CHILD
TRANSMISSION

3

In the absence of
any interventions during pregnancy,
Rate of HIV transmission
from mother-to-child
can be between 15-45%.

MTCT can be nearly prevented
with
ARV drugs throughout the stages
when infection could occur.

4

Investigations

An HIV test reveals infection status by
detecting the presence or absence of
antibodies to HIV in the blood.
Antibodies are produced by an
individual’s immune system to fight off
foreign pathogens.

Period during which
antibodies to HIV
are still being produced
and are not yet
detectable.
It is usually 3-6 weeks .
THE WINDOW PERIOD

This early period of infection
represents the time of greatest
infectivity,
but transmission can occur during
all stages of the infection.

If someone has had a recent possible
HIV exposure,
retesting should be done after 6
weeks to confirm test results,
which enables sufficient time to pass
for antibody production in infected
individuals.

BUT ,
WHERE TO GO FOR
TESTING?

INTERGRATED COUNSELLING AND
TESTING CENTRE - ICTC
IT IS FREE IN GOVERNMENT
HOSPITALS !
AND ALSO IN SKNMC !

5

Prevention
of
HIV transmission

6

Male
and
Female
condom
use.

Avoid sharing needles.

Every pregnant woman
should get
herself
tested for HIV.

Avoidance
of breast feeding
by
infected mothers.

HIV+ What’s the
treatment?

 Anti-retroviral treatment keeps the amount
of HIV in the body at a low level.
 It stops any weakening of the immune system
and allows it to recover from any damage
that HIV might have caused already.
 The drugs are often referred to as:
anti-retrovirals, ARVs, anti-HIV or anti-AIDS
drugs.

 HIV can be suppressed by combination ART
consisting of 3 or more ARV drugs.
 ART does not cure HIV infection.
 It gives the individual capacity to fight off
infections.
 With ART, people living with HIV can live
healthy and productive lives.

When a HIV-positive person is on an
effective ART regimen,
the risk of transmitting the virus
to their uninfected sexual partner can be
reduced by 96%.

To prevent progression
of HIV to AIDS
is the main aim of treatment.

Without treatment,
they could also develop severe illnesses such
as
tuberculosis,
cryptococcal meningitis,
and
cancers such as lymphomas and Kaposi's
sarcoma, among others.

HIV continues to be a major global public health issue,
having claimed more than 39 million lives so far.
In 2013,
1.5 million people died from HIV-related causes globally.

There were approximately 35 million
people
living with HIV at the end of 2013
with 2.1 million people becoming
newly infected with HIV in 2013 globally.

HIV infection is
usually diagnosed
through blood tests
detecting the
presence or absence
of HIV antibodies.

There is no cure for HIV infection.

However,
effective treatment with antiretroviral (ARV) drugs
can control the virus
so that people with HIV can enjoy healthy and productive lives.

HIV AWARENESS / AIDS

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