Diseases- What is HIV/AIDS?

Before reading Global Issues, Local Arguments by June Johnson I did not know much about diseases. Up to this point I am able to distinguish the difference between HIV and AIDS. HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It is a virus that attacks the immune system. HIV uses healthy white blood cells to replicate itself, breaking down the immune system and leaving the body more vulnerable to illness. Without treatment, most people infected with HIV become less able to fight off germs that we are exposed to every day. AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. It is a late stage of HIV infection. An HIV positive person is diagnosed with AIDS when their immune system is so weakened that it is no longer able to fight off illness. People with immune deficiency are much more vulnerable to infections such as pneumonia and various forms of cancer. Ultimately, people do not die from AIDS itself, they die from different infections such as pneumonia or cancer. There is no known cure or vaccine for AIDS. On the other hand there is medication that patients can take in order to fight HIV. It can take several years before HIV breaks down a person's immune system and causes AIDS, and people may show few symptoms for several years after they are infected. People who appear perfectly healthy may not know they have the virus and can pass it on to others. Therefore, testing oneself after having sexual intercourse with a partner can prevent the spread of this disease or before having a final commitment one can have their partner and themselves checked.