HIV/AIDS | Webbpedia

HIV means Human Immunodeficiency Virus while AIDS means Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. HIV/AIDS is a deadly disease which has no cure yet. The virus, HIV is the cause of AIDS. This virus attacks the body’s immune defence system and breaks it down.

Differences between HIV and AIDS

HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. A person with AIDS is said to be HIV positive while a person who is HIV negative does not have the disease, AIDS. Thus, HIV is the causative agent of the disease called AIDS.

Mode of transmission of HIV and AIDS

The following are some of the ways by which HIV/AIDS can be transmitted:

Sexual intercourse
Use of contaminated sharp objects
Transfusion of infected blood
Use of infected injection needles and syringes
Piercing the body (e.g. ear-piercing, circumcision, tribal mark etc.)
From infected mother to baby

Signs of HIV and AIDS

Weight loss
Fever
Frequent tiredness
Diarrhea
Cold sores all over the body
Swollen glands

Prevention of HIV and AIDS

Abstinence
Avoid sharing sharp objects.
Don’t have unprotected sex.
Having multiple sexual partners

HOMEWORK

Give the full meaning of the following:

HIV
AIDS

Differentiate between HIV and AIDS

ASSIGNMENT

SECTION A

Which of these options fully depicts the meaning of HIV? (a) Human Immunodeficiency Virus (b) Human Infection Virus (c) High Immune Virus (d) Human Immutability Virtue
Children cannot easily contact HIV even when they have contact with the blood of an infected person (a) weakly disagree (b) false (c) maybe (d) true.
AIDS can be cured medically(a) weakly disagree (b) false (c) maybe (d) true.
Which of these is not a medium by which one can contract HIV/AIDS (a) sharing a blade (b) engaging in sexual intercourse(c) abstinence (d) blood transfusion?
Validate this statement “AIDS is an example of STI” (a) weakly disagree (b) false (c) untrue (d) true.

SECTION B

Highlight four modes of transmitting HIV/AIDS
List three signs of a person with HIV/AIDS