The Global Scale of the Epidemic
- According to UNAIDS estimates, there are 33 million people living with HIV in the world today including over 2 million children under 15 years of age
- Around 2 million people died with AIDS last year including over a quarter of a million children under 15 years of age
- In the UK more than 80,000 people are living with HIV and over 7000 more are diagnosed every year
- At least 500 people are living with HIV in Stoke & Staffordshire
HIV/AIDS Facts
- HIV stands fo Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV is the Virus that can cause someone to develop AIDS.
- People can become infected with HIV through:
- Unprotected sexual intercourse with an infected partner.
- Sharing unsterilised needles and syringes or anything that cuts or pierces the skin such as unsterilised piercing equipment.
- Blood and blood products, for example, infected transfusions and organ or tissue transplants.
- Transmission from an infected mother to her child in the womb or at birth or via breastfeeding.
- You cannot get HIV by:
- Casual physical contact
- Coughing, sneezing or kissing
- Sharing toilet and washing facilities
- Using eating utensils or consuming food and beverages handled by someone who has HIV
- Mosquitoes or other insect bites
- AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. AIDS is not a single disease, it is a condition in which people get a number of infections, and illnesses due to the damage caused to their immune system by HIV.
- Treatments exist which can prevent the onset of AIDS and although there are side effects, a person can lead a healthy, active life with a long life expectancy if they respond well to treatment. However, they can still transmit HIV infection to others.
- Access to treatment for HIV is limited in many developing countries.
25 years of AIDS
Links to General Resources
UK World AIDS Day Site maintained by the National AIDS Trust
www.worldaidsday.org
UNAIDS World AIDS Campaign website
www.worldaidscampaign.org
Global HIV/AIDS statistics
www.unaids.org/en/HIV_data
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