Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS abbreviated) is a collection of symptoms and infections (or: syndrome) arising from the destruction of the human immune system caused by HIV infection; or infection with other viruses that attack similar to other species (SIV, FIV, etc.).
Own virus called Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV or abbreviated) is the virus that weakens the immunity in the human body. People affected by this virus will be susceptible to opportunistic infection or susceptible to tumors. Although there has been handling can slow the rate of progression of the virus, but this disease can not really be cured.
HIV and similar viruses are generally transmitted through direct contact between the layers of the skin (mucous membrane) or the bloodstream with a bodily fluid containing HIV, such as blood, semen, vaginal fluid, preseminal, and breast milk. Transmission can occur through sexual intercourse (vaginal, anal or oral), blood transfusion, contaminated hypodermic needles, between mother and baby during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding, as well as other forms of contact with body fluids.
Scientists generally believe that AIDS originated from Sub-Saharan Africa. Now that AIDS has become a plague. AIDS has infected an estimated 38.6 million people around the world. In January 2006, UNAIDS in collaboration with the WHO estimate that AIDS has caused the death of more than 25 million people since it was first recognized on June 5, 1981.
Thus, this disease is one of the deadliest plague in history. AIDS claimed to have caused death as much as 2.4 to 3.3 million in 2005 alone, and more than 570,000 people of whom were children. One third of these deaths occur in Sub-Saharan Africa, thus slowing the growth economy and destroy the power of human resources there. Antiretroviral treatment can actually reduce the death rate and severity of HIV infection, but access to treatment is not available in all countries.
Social punishment for people with HIV / AIDS, is generally more severe when compared with patients with other deadly diseases. Sometimes the social punishment is also inflicted to health workers or volunteers, are involved in caring for people living with HIV / AIDS (PLWHA).
