Wikipedia:VideoWiki/HIV-AIDS

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Human immunodeficiency virus infection (or HIV), and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (or AIDS), is a spectrum of conditions caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus.

Following the initial infection, a person may not notice any symptoms, or may experience a brief period of flu-like illness. This is followed by a prolonged period with no symptoms.

As the infection progresses, it interferes more with the immune system, increasing the risk of developing common infections such as tuberculosis, as well as other opportunistic infections, and tumors that rarely affect people who have uncompromised immune systems.

These late symptoms of infection, are referred to as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (or AIDS). This stage is also associated with unintended weight loss.

HIV is spread primarily by unprotected sex (including anal, and oral sex), contaminated blood transfusions, and hypodermic needles. It can also be spread from mother to child during pregnancy, delivery, or breastfeeding. Some bodily fluids, such as saliva and tears, do not transmit HIV.

Methods of prevention include safe sex, needle exchange programs, treating those who are infected, pre, and post exposure prophylaxis, and male circumcision.

The spread of HIV from mother to child, during childbirth, can be prevented by giving both of them antiretroviral medication.

There is no cure or vaccine; however, antiretroviral treatment can slow the course of the disease, and may lead to a near-normal life expectancy.

Treatment is recommended as soon as the diagnosis is made. Without treatment, the average survival time after infection is 11 years.

In 2016, about 36.7 million people were living with HIV, and it resulted in 1 million deaths. There were 300,000 fewer new HIV cases in 2016 than in 2015. Most of those infected, live in sub-Saharan Africa.

From the time AIDS was identified in the early 1980s, to 2017, the disease has caused an estimated 35 million deaths worldwide.

HIV AIDS is considered a pandemic, because it is a disease outbreak which is present over a large area, and is actively spreading.

HIV originated in west-central Africa during the late 19th, or early 20th century during colonialism.

AIDS was first recognized by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 1981, and the HIV virus was identified as its cause shortly after.

HIV-AIDS has had a large impact on society, both as an illness and as a source of discrimination.

The disease also has large economic impacts. There are many misconceptions about HIV-AIDS, such as the belief that it can be transmitted by casual, non-sexual contact.

The disease has become subject to many controversies involving religion, including the Catholic Church's position not to support condom use as prevention.

Despite this, HIV-AIDS has attracted international medical and political attention, as well as large-scale funding since it was identified in the 1980s.