ACQUIRED IMMUNE DEFICIENCY SYNDROME, AIDS

AIDS is a dangerous disease spread from person to person by a virus. It is now found in most countries around the world, and in many is becoming more and more common....The public awareness on AIDS is dropping, hence, the nEed to awaken people to the reality of its danger.

AIDS reduces the body's ability to fight disease. A person with AIDS can get sick very easily from many different illnesses such as diarrhea, pneumonia, tuberculosis, or a serious type of skin cancer. Most persons with AIDS die from diseases their bodies cannot fight.

AIDS is spread when blood, semen (sperm), or vaginal fluid of someone with the AIDS virus enters the body if another. It can be apread through:

1. Sex with someone who's infected with the virus
2. Using the same needle or syringe (or any instrument that cuts the skin) without sterilising it
3. An infected mother to her unborn child
4. A person who has sex with more than one person has a higher risk of AIDS
5. Drug users who share the same needle have a very high risk.

Please note that you can get AIDS from someone who looks completely healthy. Often it takes month or years after the AIDS virus enters the body for the first signs to appear, but the person can still spread AIDS to others through sex or sharing needles.

AIDS is not spread through everyday contact such as shaking hands, or living, playing, or eating together. Also, it is not spread by food, water, insects, toilet seats or communion cups.

SIGNS OF AIDS

The signs of AIDS are different in different persons. Often they are the typical signs of common illnesses, but are more severe and last longer. If a combination of these signs appear and the person gets sick more and more often, he or she may have AIDS (but you cannot be sure without special test): with jacket items to wear of the occasions

1. Gradual weight loss as the person becomes thinner and thinner.
2. Diarrhea for more that one month.
3. A fever for more than one month, sometimes it comes and goes.

The person may have one or more of these signs:

1. A bad cough that lasts more than one month
2. Yeast infection in the mouth (thrush)
3. Swollen lymph nodes, anywhere in the body
4. Skin rashes
5. Warts or sore that keep growing and do not go away with treatment, especially around the genital area and buttocks
6. Feels tired all the time
7. Persons with AIDS virus are more likely to get tuberculosis or shingles.

There's still no known medicine to cure AIDS...

PREVENTION

1. Have sex only with one faithful partner (if your partner is having sex with someone else, then you are also at risk)
2. Use a condom if you or your partner have had other sexual partners.
3. Do not have sex with persons who have many sex partners, such as prostitutes (male or female)
4. Treat sexually transmitted diseases early, ESPECIALLY THOSE CAUSING SORES
5. Do not share needle/syringes
6. Make sure instruments for ear piercing are boiled
7. Do not accept a transfusion that is not tested and screened.

This is worth sharing to all your friends....Spread the word..

Dr. Ife Monterro