HIV

• what is HIV?


  a flu like illness transmitted through the exchange of fluids between humans
• examples of ways HIV is transmitted

  • through unprotected sexual intercourse
  • share of infected needles
• how does HIV affect our body?

  the virus attacks the cells of the patients immune system, which becomes severely damaged.
• what are the issues of having a damaged immune system?

  it cannot fight off other infections, which are usually harmful to others
• a severely damaged immune system cannot fight off what?

  cancer cells, which can easily contract other infections such as TB
• how can HIV be treated?

  antiretroviral drugs
• what is a disadvantage of antiretroviral drugs?

  • they are not a cure
  • the patient must take them for the rest of their life.
• how do antiretroviral drugs work?


  they stop the virus from multiplying inside the patient, so the virus does not damage the patients immune system