General Facts on HIV & AIDS
HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus and is the virus that causes AIDS. HIV is a retrovirus that enters the body through the bloodstream as a result of unprotected sexual intercourse or sharing unsterilized needles. It acts on the body by attacking and weakening the immune system: it seeks out, enters and destroys helper T-cells (the cells in your immune system that help your immune system function).
After the initial exposure to HIV, some individuals may develop a flu-like illness that lasts about three to 14 days, sometimes longer - this is acute or primary infection. Some patients may experience the flu-like symptoms after a lag of three to six weeks following exposure, while others may be completely without symptoms. many people living with HIV are healthy for months - even years. However, they can infect others through this period.
Circumstances that can influence the pace and perhaps the direction of HIV's course include: infectious agents, such as Hepatitis B, syphilis and herpes; poor nutrition; the effects of stress; and continued use of intravenous drugs.
As the infection progresses, there may be severe, long-lasting symptoms, such as:
 | Constant tiredness |
| Diarrhea and decreased appetite |
| Menstrual cycle changes |
| Rapid weight loss for no apparent reason |
| Recurrent fever, including night sweats |
| Recurring vaginal yeast infections |
| Swollen lymph glands in the neck, underarm or groin area |
| White spots or unusual mouth sores |
If you have any of these symptoms for more than one week, you should see a doctor immediately.
Over time, HIV damages the immune system, allowing people to get infections and cancers which would not usually be a threat to healthy people. These illnesses are called opportunistic infections.
HIV-positive people who are found to have one or more of the following diseases are usually found to have AIDS.
| Cervical Cancer: Cancer of the cervix which may cause bleeding from the vagina after intercourse, between periods or after menopause. Women who have HIV may be five times more likely to develop this disease than other women. |
| Cytomegalovirus (CMV): An opportunistic infection that can cause fever, mild sore throat, fatigue, aches and swollen glands. Severe CMV infections can cause hepatitis, pneumonia, retinitis and colitis, leading in some cases to blindness and chronic diarrhea. |
| Kaposi's Sarcoma (KS): A cancer of the capillaries which occurs in persons with AIDS. Lesions may first appear on the feet or legs and on the soft palate on the mouth. They may also remain hidden in the internal organs. |
| Lymphoma: A cancer of the cells that are responsible for normal immune function. |
| Mycobacterium avium intracellulare (MAI): An opportunistic infection that causes fevers, diarrhea and weight loss. |
| Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID): Inflammation of the upper reproductive tract (uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries) usually caused by infection such as sexually transmitted disease. |
| Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP): A type of pneumonia caused by fungus which grows rapidly in the lungs of people with AIDS. |
| Wasting Syndrome: Severe weight loss involving depletion of muscle mass in people with AIDS which can occur even in the absence of other infections. |
Some Information supplied by: Canadian AIDS Society