HIV/AIDS

WHAT ARE HIV AND AIDS?

HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. It is the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Usually a person has the virus for months or years before any signs of illness appear. It slowly weakens the body's ability to fight off illness. People with AIDS can have serious infections and cancers. These illnesses make them very sick and can eventually kill them.

HISTORY OF HIV/AIDS

1981
About 401 cases of this new syndrome were reported in the U.S. The first working name for the epidemic was Gay Related Immune Deficiency (GRID). At this stage, the scientific evidence was missing to identify the infectious agent and to verify the transmission routes.

1987
AZT was licensed by the FDA as the first drug to combat HIV directly.

1991
In November, Magic Johnson announced that he was infected with HIV.

1994
A clinical trial on the use of AZT showed that prenatal HIV transmission from mother to child could be greatly reduced.

1995
The FDA offered preliminary approval to Saquinavir, the first of a new class of antiretroviral drugs called protease inhibitors. Trials were instituted to test “cocktail” (combinations of different classes of drugs) approaches to treatment.

1996
The FDA recommended that blood banks and plasma centers add a test for the p24 antigen. Oral fluid testing using EIA and Western Blot methods was approved by the FDA.

1998
Baton Rouge AIDS Society was founded as the first minority AIDS Servicing Organization in the Greater Baton Rouge Area. As a Testing and Training Center, BRASS has served over 3,000 people each year that it has been in operation.

COMMON MISPERCEPTIONS ABOUT HIV TRANSMISSION

Kissing! Because of the potential for contact with blood during “French” kissing, the CDC recommends against engaging in this activity with a person known to be infected.

Saliva! Saliva, tears and sweat – HIV has been found in saliva and tears in very low quantities from some AIDS patients. It is important to understand that finding a small amount of HIV in a body fluid does not necessarily mean that HIV can be transmitted by that fluid.

Insect! Unlike yellow fever and malaria, HIV doesn’t live for long periods of time or reproduce inside the insect. Furthermore, a mosquito does not inject its own or a previously bitten person’s blood when it bites someone.