Question

What is full form of AIDS?

1) What is HIV? ...

2) What is AIDS? ...

3) What are the symptoms of HIV? ...

4) When does a person have AIDS? ...

5) How quickly do people infected with HIV develop AIDS? ...

6) Where is HIV found? ...

7) How can HIV be transmitted? ...

8) What is the risk of transmitting HIV through kissing or deep k

issing?

Answer 1

AIDS – Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome

 The word AIDS stands for Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome. This means

deficiency of immune system, acquired during the lifetime of an individual indicating

that it is not a congenital disease [disease or abnormality present from birth].

‘Syndrome’ means a group of symptoms.

 AIDS was first reported in 1981 and in the last twenty-five years or so, it has spread all

over the world.

Causes of AIDS

 AIDS is caused by the Human Immuno Deficiency Virus (HIV), a member of a group of

viruses called Retrovirus, which have an envelope enclosing the RNA genome.

 Transmission of HIV-infection generally occurs by

a) sexual contact with infected person,

b) by transfusion of contaminated blood and blood products,

c) by sharing infected needles as in the case of intravenous drug abusers and

d) from infected mother to her child through placenta.

 So, people who are at high risk of getting this infection includes

a) individuals who have multiple sexual partners,

b) drug addicts who take drugs intravenously,

c) individuals who require repeated blood transfusions and

d) children born to an HIV infected mother.

 It is important to note that HIV/AIDS is not spread by mere touch or physical contact; it

spreads only through body fluids. It is, hence, imperative, for the physical and

psychological well-being, that the HIV/AIDS infected persons are not isolated from

family and society.

 There is always a time-lag between the infection and appearance of AIDS symptoms.

This period may vary from a few months to many years (usually 5-10 years).

Mechanism of HIV Proliferation in Human Body

After getting Into the body of the person, the virus enters into macrophages where RNA

genome of the virus replicates to form viral DNA with the help of the enzyme Reverse

Transcriptase.

 This viral DNA gets incorporated into host cell’s DNA and directs the infected cells to

produce virus particles. The macrophages continue to produce virus and in this way

acts like a HIV factory.