Understanding HIV and AIDS p1

QUICK BACKGROUND

Firstly we need to understand that viruses evolve, they can have different strains eg. the influenza virus, because the flu virus gets stronger and evolves into different strains, vaccines have to be made to counteract them (that is why we get flu shots once or twice a year, the virus changes).

According to researchers, HIV is a different strain of another virus that were common in a certain type of primate (chimpanzee) found in West Africa. Thy also had an immunodeficiency virus called Simian immunodeficiency virus or SIV. Scientist believe that the virus was transmitted to humans and evolved into HIV when humans hunted these chimpanzees for meat and came into contact with their infected blood. Over the many years this virus slowly spread across Africa to other parts of the world.

For a more thorough look into the History of HIV see The Aids Institute.org - Where did HIV come from?

What Is HIV?

HIV is an acronym for, Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This is a virus that weakens your immune system by destroying important cells that fight disease and infection. A "deficient" immune system can't protect you.

Your body has white blood cells form part of your immune system and these cells defend your body from bad bacteria and viruses that attack your body. They are the soldiers of your body, HIV does not attack your body, this virus attacks your soldiers, your white blood cells, destroying them while multiplying. 

Above is a simple clip explaining how the HI virus attacks our White Blood Cells.

HIV is just the first stage, if your body has one or more opportunistic infections (TB, Leukemia etc), certain cancers, or a very low number of CD4 cells (are a type of white blood cells that play a major role in protecting your body from infection) then you have progressed to the final stage which is AIDS.

What Is AIDS?

AIDS stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. Acquired means 'to get', Immunodeficient mean your immune system is not working well and Syndrome means 'a collection of symptoms and signs of disease'. AIDS is a syndrome, rather than a single disease, because your body now is attacked by many other infections and diseases like 

For more on this check out HIV and AIDS 101 - Signs and Symptoms