.For the past decade, HIV infections among U.S women have increased dramatically, especially in women of color. Click here to find out if you could have HIV - and not even know it. |
A little over two decades ago, on June 5, 1981, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control published the first report alerting the medical community to HIV, the virus that causes AIDS - acquired immune deficiency syndrome a disease that fatally attacks the immune system. Since then, AIDS has since become a major global epidemic What distinguishes HIV, which stands for human immunodeficiency virus, from other viruses is that antibodies produced by the immune system cannot kill HIV. Once a person is infected, HIV remains in the blood forever. After a silent but intense battle that can last 10 years or more, the virus weakens the immune system to the point that it can no longer protect the body from infections. These opportunistic infections, such as pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) and cytomegalovirus (CMV), are the late-stage conditions that define AIDSIn addition, patients with HIV face an increased risk of contracting certain cancers and neurological disorders. For the past decade, HIV infections among U.S. women have increased dramatically, especially in women of color. In 1992, women made up 13 percent of people living with AIDS. By 2000, the proportion had grown to 25 percent. Thanks to new antiretroviral drugs, deaths from AIDS in both men and women in the U.S. has declined steadily in the past several years. From 1996 to 1997, 42 percent fewer Americans died of AIDS, which dropped that year from the eighth to the 14th leading cause of death. However, new HIV infections have remained stable at about 40,000 cases a year, and the proportion of infections in women continues to increase. HIV infection disproportionately affects African-American and Hispanic women. Together, they represent less than 25 percent of all U.S. women, yet they account for more than 77 percent of AIDS cases in women. HIV/AIDS is now the third leading cause of death among women ages 25 to 44 and the leading cause of death among African-American women in this age group. Recently, the decline in AIDS cases has leveled off. From 1999 to 2000, the number of estimated deaths among persons with AIDS declined 11 percent, indicating that much of the benefit of new drugs has been realized. At the same time, complacency toward safe sex, resulting primarily from over-optimism about HIV treatment, has health officials worried. New studies have identified disturbing increases in HIV infection among young gay men and high-risk adolescents. This relaxed attitude toward prevention is likely to result in an upswing in HIV cases in the next several years. HIV is transmitted through the blood, semen and vaginal secretions of an infected person. Here are the important facts about how HIV is transmitted: * The virus is mainly spread by unprotected sex and sharing needles with an HIV-infected person. * Babies born to HIV-infected women may become infected before or during birth, or shortly after birth through breast-feeding. * You do not become infected by casual contact or through insect bites or stings. * Only a few cases of HIV have been transmitted in household settings. These transmissions are believed to have resulted when infected blood or other body fluids came in contact with skin or mucous membranes. * Casual contact through closed-mouth or "social" kissing is not a risk factor for transmission of HIV. However, experts recommend against "French" or open-mouthed kissing with an infected person because of the possibility of contact with blood. * The presence of oral or genital sores from other sexually transmitted diseases (such as herpes or syphilis) facilitates sexual transmission of HIV. * The risk of acquiring HIV from an infected health care professional is extremely low. Worldwide, only two cases have been documented of an HIV-positive surgeon transmitting the virus to a patient. * Female-to-female transmission of HIV appears to be low. However, case reports of female-to-female transmission of HIV indicate that vaginal secretions and menstrual blood are potentially infectious and that mucous membrane (e.g., oral, vaginal) exposure to these secretions has the potential to lead to HIV infection. NEXT: Could you have HIV ? What You Need To Know |
Intimate Health Care For Women |
A little over two decades ago, on June 5, 1981, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control published the first report alerting the medical community to HIV, the virus that causes AIDS - acquired immune deficiency syndrome a disease that fatally attacks the immune system. Since then, AIDS has since become a major global epidemic What distinguishes HIV, which stands for human immunodeficiency virus, from other viruses is that antibodies produced by the immune system cannot kill HIV. Once a person is infected, HIV remains in the blood forever. After a silent but intense battle that can last 10 years or more, the virus weakens the immune system to the point that it can no longer protect the body from infections. These opportunistic infections, such as pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP), mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) and cytomegalovirus (CMV), are the late-stage conditions that define AIDSIn addition, patients with HIV face an increased risk of contracting certain cancers and neurological disorders. For the past decade, HIV infections among U.S. women have increased dramatically, especially in women of color. In 1992, women made up 13 percent of people living with AIDS. By 2000, the proportion had grown to 25 percent. Thanks to new antiretroviral drugs, deaths from AIDS in both men and women in the U.S. has declined steadily in the past several years. From 1996 to 1997, 42 percent fewer Americans died of AIDS, which dropped that year from the eighth to the 14th leading cause of death. However, new HIV infections have remained stable at about 40,000 cases a year, and the proportion of infections in women continues to increase. HIV infection disproportionately affects African-American and Hispanic women. Together, they represent less than 25 percent of all U.S. women, yet they account for more than 77 percent of AIDS cases in women. HIV/AIDS is now the third leading cause of death among women ages 25 to 44 and the leading cause of death among African-American women in this age group. Recently, the decline in AIDS cases has leveled off. From 1999 to 2000, the number of estimated deaths among persons with AIDS declined 11 percent, indicating that much of the benefit of new drugs has been realized. At the same time, complacency toward safe sex, resulting primarily from over-optimism about HIV treatment, has health officials worried. New studies have identified disturbing increases in HIV infection among young gay men and high-risk adolescents. This relaxed attitude toward prevention is likely to result in an upswing in HIV cases in the next several years. HIV is transmitted through the blood, semen and vaginal secretions of an infected person. Here are the important facts about how HIV is transmitted: * The virus is mainly spread by unprotected sex and sharing needles with an HIV-infected person. * Babies born to HIV-infected women may become infected before or during birth, or shortly after birth through breast-feeding. * You do not become infected by casual contact or through insect bites or stings. * Only a few cases of HIV have been transmitted in household settings. These transmissions are believed to have resulted when infected blood or other body fluids came in contact with skin or mucous membranes. * Casual contact through closed-mouth or "social" kissing is not a risk factor for transmission of HIV. However, experts recommend against "French" or open-mouthed kissing with an infected person because of the possibility of contact with blood. * The presence of oral or genital sores from other sexually transmitted diseases (such as herpes or syphilis) facilitates sexual transmission of HIV. * The risk of acquiring HIV from an infected health care professional is extremely low. Worldwide, only two cases have been documented of an HIV-positive surgeon transmitting the virus to a patient. * Female-to-female transmission of HIV appears to be low. However, case reports of female-to-female transmission of HIV indicate that vaginal secretions and menstrual blood are potentially infectious and that mucous membrane (e.g., oral, vaginal) exposure to these secretions has the potential to lead to HIV infection. NEXT: Could you have HIV ? What You Need To Know |
HIV: What You Should Know |
.For the past decade, HIV infections among U.S women have increased dramatically, especially in women of color. Click here to find out if you could have HIV - and not even know it. |
