HIV and AIDS
Human Biology
What is AIDS?
• AIDS is a condition known as acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome.
• AIDS is caused by the human
immunodeficiency virus or HIV.
• The first cases of AIDS were identified
more than 20 years ago in San Francisco
and New York. Today it is estimated that
more than 42 million people worldwide are
living with HIV or AIDS.
How is HIV transmitted?
• The HIV virus is spread through contact
with bodily fluids that include semen,
vaginal fluids, and breast milk.
• It is normally spread when people engage
in high-risk behaviours such as
unprotected sex (oral, vaginal or anal) or
the sharing of needles used to inject drugs
or for tattooing.
What about physical contact?
• It is important to know
that HIV is not
transmitted through
casual contact such as
holding hands or
hugging.
• It is also not transmitted
through coughing or
sneezing and you can’t
catch it if you are sitting
next to someone who has
HIV.
Pregnant Mothers and HIV
• An HIV positive mother
can pass the virus to her
baby either before birth,
during the birthing
process or during
breastfeeding once the
baby is born.
• If doctors know a mother
is HIV positive they can
usually prevent the
spread of HIV to the baby
How does HIV affect the body?
• The HIV virus pictured
here destroys a specific
defence cell in the human
body known as CD4
helper lymphocyte.
• These cells are part of
our bodies immune
system that fights off
disease and infections so
people get serious
infections; they are
immune deficient.
How does HIV affect the body?
• The virus infects the
cells and uses them
to multiply (make
more viruses).
• With the immune
system not able to do
its job the body loses
its ability to fight off
many diseases and
infections.
HIV infection or AIDS
• People can live with HIV for many years before
showing any signs or symptoms of infection.
Antiviral medications can be taken to delay the
onset of AIDS.
• Once the level of CD4 cells drop too low to fight
infections the symptoms will start showing up.
• An AIDS diagnosis will be made once the CD4
levels are too low to fight infections and the
person has specific illnesses or diseases that
occur in people with HIV infections.
AIDS
• People with AIDS are also unable to fight
off many serious and rare infections,
particularly tuberculosis.
• They are prone to serious infections such
as pneumonia, meningitis (an infection of
the covering of the brain), and encephalitis
(an infection of the brain).
Signs and Symptoms of AIDS
• Extreme weight loss • Minor infections that
• Rapid weight loss cause skin rashes and
• Frequent fevers that last mouth, genital, and anal
for several weeks with no sores.
explanation • White spots in the mouth
• Heavy sweating at night or throat
• Swollen lymph glands • Chronic diarrhea
• A cough that won’t go
away
• Trouble remembering
things
HIV and AIDS Prevention
• Preventing the spread of HIV and AIDS is
complicated by the fact that people can have the
virus for a long time and have no idea that they
have been infected or that they may infect
others.
• If a person engages in the high risk behaviors
mentioned earlier they may unknowingly pass
the HIV virus on to others.
• The next slide will outline ways to prevent
transmission of the HIV virus.
HIV and AIDS Prevention
• Abstaining from sex (not having oral,
vaginal or anal sex).
• Always using latex condoms for all types
of sexual intercourse.
• Avoiding contact with bodily fluids through
which HIV is transmitted.
• Never sharing needles.
Testing and Treatment
• If you or someone you know thinks they
may have HIV or AIDS a doctor can
perform a blood test.
• If the results are positive it is important to
know that although there is no cure for
AIDS there are antiviral medications and
drugs available that can help boost your
immune system and help you resist
infections.
Latest Research
• There is some promising new research going on
that suggests there may be hope for people
living with HIV and AIDS.
• Scientists are trying a gene therapy approach
where new genes that make CD4 cells resistant
to the HIV virus.
• There is also stem cell research happening
where stem cells are programmed to target and
destroy HIV infected cells.
• The hope is that sometime in the near future we
will have a cure for AIDS and a vaccine to
prevent further infections.
Living with HIV and AIDS
• The social implications of living with HIV can be
devastating. The infected individual will suffer
injustices associated with the disease such as
loss of job, income, insurance, and housing.
Their families and friends will suffer grief and
they may lose both friends and family.
• Next we are going to view a movie that explores
these social implications. Although it is a
Hollywood movie it is a very honest and raw look
at what it would be like to live with AIDS.
Philadelphia – The Movie
• Andrew Beckett, a gay lawyer infected with
AIDS, is fired from his conservative law firm in
fear that they might contract AIDS from him.
After Andrew is fired, in a last attempt for peace,
he sues his former law firm with the help of a
homophobic lawyer, Joe Miller. During the court
battle, Miller sees that Beckett is no different
than anyone else on the gritty streets of the city
of brotherly love, sheds his homophobia and
helps Beckett with his case before AIDS
overcomes him. Written by Geoffrey A.
Middleton {gamidd01@morehead-st.edu}