what effect does aids have on the body?
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Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or acquired immune deficiency syndrome (or acronym AIDS or Aids), is a collection of symptoms and infections resulting from the specific "damage to the immune system" caused by infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).\n\nTherefore, it damages the immune system of the affected person thereby making him/her prone to opportunistic infections and tumors.
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When the HIV compromised immune system progresses to the stage of AIDs, the bodies natural ability to produce antibodies to fight off infection can become compromised to the point that death can occur even from the common cold.
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The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). ‘Acquired’ means not inherited. ‘Immune deficiency’ means a breakdown in the body’s immune system. ‘Syndrome’ refers to a range of diseases that may be associated with another disease.\n\nIn this case, diseases that take advantage of the body’s weakened immune system are used to define the onset of AIDS. In Australia, HIV is most commonly spread by sexual intercourse without a condom and through sharing needles, syringes and other injecting equipment.\n\nSymptoms\nSymptoms of HIV are common to a number of other illnesses. If you think you have been put at risk of getting HIV, or if you have any of the signs below (or a combination of them) for a month or longer, you should consult your doctor. Symptoms can include: \n\nFlu-like symptoms \nExtreme and constant tiredness \nFevers, chills and night sweats \nRapid weight loss for no known reason \nSwollen lymph glands in the neck, underarm or groin area \nWhite spots or unusual marks in the mouth \nSkin marks or bumps, either raised or flat, usually painless and purplish \nContinuous coughing or a dry cough \nDiarrhoea \nDecreased appetite.\nHow it is spread \nSomeone who has HIV may not have any symptoms, but they carry the virus and could pass it on through blood or body fluids. HIV can be spread in a number of ways, including: \nUnprotected vaginal or anal sex with someone who has HIV \nSharing injecting equipment and needles with someone who has HIV \nFrom a mother who has HIV to a child during pregnancy, birth or via breastfeeding \nUnprotected oral sex with someone who has HIV (this is less common).\nHIV can’t be spread by social contact\nThere is no evidence to suggest that HIV is spread by ordinary social or family contact such as hugging, shaking hands, sharing household items or through toilets seats, swimming pools or pets. HIV doesn’t live long outside of the body. It can be killed by ordinary household bleach, or soap and warm water.\n\nSafe sex explained\nSafe sex means sex where semen, vaginal secretions or blood are not exchanged between sexual partners. Some safe sexual activities include: \nMutual masturbation \nTouching \nCuddling \nBody-to-body rubbing \nErotic massage. \nCondoms \nUsing condoms properly during intercourse (anal and vaginal) will greatly reduce the risk of spreading HIV. Condoms must be used correctly and with plenty of lubricant. Water-based lubricant should be used, as other types of lubricants will cause condoms to break. Female condoms are also available and should also be used with lubricants. \n\nSafe sex can prevent infection\nHIV can be spread by unprotected anal or vaginal sex with someone who has HIV. Safe sex is recommended if either partner has HIV or if either partner is unsure of whether they have HIV. Other sexually transmissible infections (STIs) such as herpes, chlamydia and gonorrhoea can also be spread by unprotected sex. If either partner has an STI, or if either partner is unsure of whether they have an STI, safe sex is also recommended. HIV infection is more readily acquired or transmitted if either partner is infected with another STI.\n\nHIV and oral sex\nUnprotected oral sex is low risk for spreading HIV but using a condom or avoiding ejaculation into the mouth is recommended when either partner has ulcers or bleeding gums, or has recently brushed or flossed their teeth. Condom use may also prevent the spread of other STIs such as herpes, chlamydia and gonorrhoea. These STIs may be spread more easily by unprotected oral sex.\n\nHIV and deep kissing\nOnly very small amounts of HIV are found in the saliva of people who have HIV. For you to get HIV, a lot of saliva would need to get into your blood via ulcers or bleeding gums. Deep kissing is a low risk behaviour for spreading HIV.\n\nHIV and blood products\nSince May 1985, all blood donations in Australia have been tested for HIV. This means that blood transfusion
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AIDS, per say, say was not "discovered."  It was named. AIDS itself is NOT a disease.  Rather it is the end manisfestation of infection with HIV.  AIDS is a "collection" of opportunistic infections which prey on the immune system which has been compromised by HIV.  HIV infection/AIDS continues to spread in all corners of the world.  It seems that in the US people have again become complacent about it, with rates increasing in all metro areas.  One factor that the increase of infection is being attributed to is the use of Meth.
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There r many, here is a website.\nhttp://www.hivsymptoms.org/aids-symptoms.html
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There is no cure for AIDS at this time.\n\nWHAT DOES "AIDS" MEAN?\nAIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome:\n\n\nAcquired means you can get infected with it; \nImmune Deficiency means a weakness in the body's system that fights diseases. \nSyndrome means a group of health problems that make up a disease. \n\nAIDS is caused by a virus called HIV, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. If you get infected with HIV, your body will try to fight the infection. It will make "antibodies," special molecules to fight HIV. \n\nA blood test for HIV looks for these antibodies. If you have them in your blood, it means that you have HIV infection. People who have the HIV antibodies are called "HIV-Positive." Fact Sheet 102 has more information on HIV testing.\n\nBeing HIV-positive, or having HIV disease, is not the same as having AIDS. Many people are HIV-positive but don't get sick for many years. As HIV disease continues, it slowly wears down the immune system. Viruses, parasites, fungi and bacteria that usually don't cause any problems can make you very sick if your immune system is damaged. These are called "opportunistic infections." See Fact Sheet 500 for an overview of opportunistic infections. \n--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\nHOW DO YOU GET AIDS?\nYou don't actually "get" AIDS. You might get infected with HIV, and later you might develop AIDS. You can get infected with HIV from anyone who's infected, even if they don't look sick and even if they haven't tested HIV-positive yet. The blood, vaginal fluid, semen, and breast milk of people infected with HIV has enough of the virus in it to infect other people. Most people get the HIV virus by:\n\n\n\nhaving sex with an infected person \nsharing a needle (shooting drugs) with someone who's infected \nbeing born when their mother is infected, or drinking the breast milk of an infected woman \nGetting a transfusion of infected blood used to be a way people got AIDS, but now the blood supply is screened very carefully and the risk is extremely low.\n\nThere are no documented cases of HIV being transmitted by tears or saliva, but it is possible to be infected with HIV through oral sex or in rare cases through deep kissing, especially if you have open sores in your mouth or bleeding gums. For more information, see the following Fact Sheets:\n\n\n150: Stopping the Spread of HIV \n151: Safer Sex Guidelines \n152: How Risky Is It? \nThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 million to 1.2 million U.S. residents are living with HIV infection, about one-quarter of whom are unaware of their infection. Each year, there are about 40,000 new infections. Of these, about 70 percent are among men and 30 percent among women. \n\nIn the mid-1990s, AIDS was a leading cause of death. However, newer treatments have cut the AIDS death rate significantly. For more information, see the US Government fact sheet at http://www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/aidsstat.htm. \n--------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\nWHAT HAPPENS IF I'M HIV POSITIVE?\nYou might not know if you get infected by HIV. Some people get fever, headache, sore muscles and joints, stomach ache, swollen lymph glands, or a skin rash for one or two weeks. Most people think it's the flu. Some people have no symptoms. Fact Sheet 103 has more information on the early stage of HIV infection.\n\nThe virus will multiply in your body for a few weeks or even months before your immune system responds. During this time, you won't test positive for HIV, but you can infect other people.\n\nWhen your immune system responds, it starts to make antibodies. When this happens, you will test positive for HIV.\n\nAfter the first flu-like symptoms, some people with HIV stay healthy for ten years or longer. But during this time, HIV is damaging your immun
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From: http://alcoholism.about.com/library/blnaa57.htm?iam=metaresults&terms=hiv\n\n\nAlcohol and the Immune System \n\nAlcohol can impair normal immune responses that protect the body from disease (6,7,8). Chronic alcohol consumption has been shown to reduce the number of infection-fighting white blood cells in laboratory animals (9,10,11) and in humans (12,13). Chronic alcohol ingestion or alcohol dependence can depress antibody production and other immune responses in animals (10,9) and in humans (14,15). Alcohol can suppress activities of certain immune system cells, called macrophages, that help keep the lungs free from infection (16,17). In addition, alcoholics appear to be more susceptible to bacterial infections and cancer than are nonalcoholics (18,19). Studies in animals and in humans indicate that consuming alcohol during pregnancy can decrease immune resistance in the offspring (20,21,22). \n\nAlcohol's generally immunosuppressive effects could mean that 1) drinking may increase vulnerability to HIV infection among people exposed to the virus, and that 2) among people who are already HIV infected, alcohol-induced immunosuppression might add to HIV-induced immunosuppression, and speed the onset or exacerbate the pathology of AIDS-related illness. These are complex ideas and areas of intense investigation, but so far only a few studies have been published. Researchers have learned that alcohol can impair white blood cell responses to HIV (23). A provocative study that warrants replication found that a single drinking episode depressed certain immune responses of white blood cells taken from healthy volunteers (24). In addition, white blood cells isolated after this drinking episode were more susceptible to HIV infection than were cells isolated from subjects who did not drink, hinting that even occasional alcohol consumption may increase the likelihood of infection upon exposure to HIV. Whether alcohol use influences the progression of AIDS in persons already infected with HIV has bee n explored in a recent study of homosexual men (25). While these researchers found that neither alcohol nor other drugs seem to influence the progression of HIV infection or the development of AIDS, their results await confirmation. Clearly, more research is needed to understand alcohol's role in HIV infection and the course of ensuing disease. \n\nAlso see this site:\n\nhttp://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa57.htm
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In the '80's AIDS became a major part of many gay men's lives. Many people that did not suffer from the disease wanted to look healthier. These people began working out, eating better, etc.\n\nAs AIDS continued, people facing the disease tended to have two psychological choices: give up, or fight. Those that fought the disease also began to exercise, eat better, get more rest, become more holistic. \n\nAs the years have continued, the obsession that many men feel for looking better and feeling better has continued to grow.
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HIV can be in your body for up to 12 years before starting to replicate, some symptomes could start as flu like symptoms so it's good if you check with your doctor, for any concerns that you might have.
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AIDS spreads and effects millions of people each year, by discussing the effects of aids, how it spreads and how it can be stopped one day we may see a difference in the number of cases.
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AIDS is a very deadly disease with a 100% death rate. It is transmitted through body fluids like blood and sexual fluids. there is almost no way of getting AIDS from kissing. the only way might be if she has cuts or sores in her mouth and you have cuts and sores also. sweat or urine dosn't transmit it eather.
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No. I'm not sure where you're making the connection with that, but you get intestinal parasites from eating infected foods. You get HIV by coming into contact with the body fluids of an infected person.
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I believe AIDS is a condition in which HIV has weakened your immune system enough to lower your white blood cell count below a certain amount.  Below that amount your body is incredibly susceptible to illness and disease.  Some patients never reach that point.  Magic Johnson, for example, the professional basketball player with HIV and the worst talk show know to man has been living with HIV for some time now.  He has faught it of so well that his recent tests show that the HIV virus is no longer detectable.
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aids can be contracted through sex and transferring of blood. aids can use semen and.. female sexual fluid (wtf?!) as a medium of travel, and blood. but in the case of blood, it has to enter through your blood stream (like someone has to bleed onto an open wound you have), or i guess if you have blood along with intercourse and stuff. gross
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A person who is infected may not show active signs of the disease and therefore even without proper medical care could live for years, however it is best if anyone thinks they are infected or conduct themselves which could lead to infection should get tested.\n\nTechnically AIDS/HIV does not kill a person..it merely weakens and compromises the immune system allowing other diseases/germs to weaken the person and kill them (possibly) shen the disease is active. With proper care and medication people who are infected can live for years and lead a "normal" life.\n\nIt is transmitted through the transfer of bodily fluids. Such as unprotected sex, sharing needles, blood transfusions (done years ago), open wounds, etc. You cannot get it from a handshake, sharing the toilet seat, casual contact.
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HIV (the virus that causes AIDS) presents a number of challenges to finding a cure:\n1) Whenever you get a virus or bacterial disease, the medicine that you received typically doesn't kill the virus or bacterial directly. Instead it helps your immune system fight it by making it more difficult for the virus to reproduced or a range of other techniques. Your immune system will do still most of the work in defeating the infection. The HIV virus attacks the immune system. As it result this reduces the effectiveness of most traditional techniques.\n2) It mutates quickly. A drug that work effectively now will eventually stop working (in the case of AIDS it stops working even before the person infected is cured of the HIV virus requiring drug cocktails and other techniques)\n3) Because of 2 many slight variation of the virus exist out there. An effective vaccine would have to target most or all of them. This is a problem because the best treatments for a virus is a vaccine. \nThat there is no cure for a disease is not uncommon. There is no cure for the flu, a virus that kills more people every year in the US than does AIDS. There is no cure for the common cold (another virus), herpes (another virus), malaria (bacteria), ...
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Aids is a disease that is spread through intercourse with different partners during sexual acts, or sharing dirty infected needles for drug useage, or even from bodily fluids being exchanged...