World AIDS Day was first declared by the World Health Organization and the United Nations General Assembly in 1988.   Friday will mark the 25th anniversary since HIV and AIDS were discovered in humans.   AIDS or acquired immuno deficiency syndrome was first reported in the United States in 1981. Since then, it has become a global health problem affecting all regions, countries and communities. In 1983, the human immuno deficiency virus (HIV) was identified as the cause of AIDS.     HIV Virus Structure:     AIDS is a global pandemic, with nearly 40 million people across the world living with HIV. AIDS remains a worldwide concern, with the disease claiming more than 2.8 million lives in 2005, and 4.1 million more becoming newly infected with HIV, the precursor to AIDS.     The HIV/AIDS epidemic started rather late in South-East Asia, the first case being reported in Thailand in 1984.     An estimated 38.6 million adults and children were living with AIDS at the end of 2005. In India 5.7 million Indians were HIV positive and the country has the 2nd largest number of HIV infections in the world after South Africa.   The WHO says AIDS has claimed more than 25 million lives since 1981, making it the deadliest ever epidemic in the world's history.   How HIV Spread?   Through blood-to-blood contact, which includes sexual contact or sharing needles with an infected person. Mothers may pass the virus while breast-feeding, as well as during pregnancy and delivery. Heterosexual contact with an infected person is the most frequent cause in the United states.   Effects of AIDS:   The virus multiplies in the body and destroys the immune system. A person with HIV infection can look and feel healthy but still transmit infection to others.   After a gap of many years, the body defenses become weak and other organism such as TB, fungi, other bacteria, etc can infect the patient easily. These are called opportunistic infections   Approximately 50% of HIV-infected persons will develop AIDS after 7 to 10 years of infection.   The average survival time for a … [Read more...]