According to the UNAIDS 2010 Report on the Global AIDS Epidemic, by the end of 2009, over 33.3 million people were estimated to be living with HIV. This figure has marginally gone up by less than half a million new patients who got infected with this deadly virus. The figures for 2008 were reported at 32.8 million. The reason is believed to be access to better treatment and HIV medicines along with regeneration therapies for the same.

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome commonly known as AIDS is infects the immune system of a human. It is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus. Under this medical condition, an infected human body loses resistance and strength to fight various ailments. The patient may become prone to infections and other contagious diseases.

However there lies a difference between a person who is infected with HIV and a person suffering from AIDS. The virus attacks immune system cells and progressively damages them, making the body vulnerable to infections. In case of high level of growth of this virus in body and infections turns into AIDS. Experts say that a patient tested positive for HIV may not necessarily suffer from AIDS. This process can take many years.

Causes of AIDS

AIDS is primary caused by HIV virus which enters human body. This transmission needs a body fluid as a medium for the virus to survive. In any case a dry contact will not lead to AIDS. Most common type of vector fluids includes blood, semen and vaginal fluid, and breast milk. The transmission generally happens in case of following events:

• Contact with unsterilized needles
• Unchecked transmission of infected blood
• Unprotected sex
• From infected mother to child

Common Misconceptions Associated with AIDS

Apart from the difference between the virus and infections, people suffer from following misconceptions that they have developed over years

AIDS is contagious just by contact with an infected person - AIDS virus needs body fluid to survive. As far as In case of a non fluid based contact, a person may not get AIDS even if he is living with a patient 24x7.

AIDS can be spread by mosquitoes - Although they can spread other blood related virus, researches prove that mosquitoes cannot transmit HIV. They are cold blooded vectors and AIDS virus cannot live in their blood.

A person dies as soon as he gets infected from AIDS - With the use of proper medicines and precautions, the life span for an infected person increases significantly. With rapid advancement of medical sciences, one may actually find a cure for AIDS in times to come.

After treatment, an infected person cannot transmit AIDS – Even after being subjected to proper medical treatments, the virus always remains in the blood. If the fluids from an infected person are passed on to another human being, he is bound to get infected.

Symptoms of AIDS:

AIDS is a disease that has no specific symptoms. It can only be diagnosed after certain blood tests for infection. These tests may be triggered by other diseases. Only visible symptom is that an infected person will become prone to all kinds of diseases. He will frequently fall ill and the recovery process will be very slow in spite of consumption of proper medicines.

Treatment of AIDS

There is no sure shot treatment for HIV. It can only be slowed by the use of various medicines that help the immunity system. Antiretroviral treatment can buy time for a patient suffering from HIV by prolonging the difference between the time between HIV infection and actual infection from AIDS. There are better chances for patients who have not developed AIDS. Modern combination therapy is found to be highly effective in such cases.

About the Author:
One such anti-HIV medicine is Atripla. It comprises of three different chemicals in a single pill which helps in strengthening of immunity system along with fighting HIV.