AIDS means Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. As the name aptly describes, this is a disease that severely affects the proper functioning of the immune system. It brings about a host of other syndromes and paves the way for "opportunistic infections" and neurological dysfunctions.



HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This virus is the one causing AIDS. It launches the disease; once this happened, the disease evolves continuously, until the death of the infected human.

For now, this disease is not curable. It can only be delayed in its evolution, with medicines and surgery. AIDS has been declared an official disease and aligned to the rest of the diseases in 1981. Unfortunately, the number of deceases caused by it is very large and growing. According to the World Health Organization, the number of deceases because of this disease was 2.9 million in 2006, and the world wide infected number of people is 39.5 million.

It is heartbreaking to note that the number of people dying and getting infected continuously grow year after year. Again, WHO has estimated that the number goes up by about 4.3 million per year? Worldwide, 1% of people from age 15-45 are afflicted. In Africa the ratio is much higher, at 20% for the same age group and even higher in some regions. These numbers sets forth a frightening picture that should cause all people to be concerned and do something for its cause.

AIDS is the summation of all the diseases associated with HIV infection. This infection triggers the weakening of the immune system and until its final breakdown. Majority of all the infected and untreated persons will sooner or later develop the AIDS.

This has a devastating effect on the youth as they are the ones that are generally sexually active. However, other age groups are not exempt from the danger because the HIV is not only transmitted through sexual contact.

It can also be transmitted from the mother to the fetus; thus, a baby can be born carrying the virus. A baby born with this virus stands low survival chances and the possibility that child is dead before he or she gets to know the world and enjoy the gift of life and all the aspects a human should know before dying. The virus is transmitted by contact with the mother's blood, or after the birth process, by breast-feeding.

Finally, not withstanding the most up to date and expensive treatments so far, the disease continues to spread at an alarming rate. Considering its widespread and devastating effect to lives, especially to innocent children, it is now considered to be the most destructive epidemics in history.