- HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. The said virus causes AIDs, which is an abbreviation of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. AIDs weakens the immune system of its host, and they become home to a number of skin, lung and spinal diseases which slowly deteriorate overall health.
- A simple theory which looks at how HIV spread from monkeys to humans is called the Hunter Theory, or the ‘BushMeat Theory ‘. According to the Hunter Theory, the virus spread in the 1930a from an ape or a monkey to a person in an African country, when the hunter was bitten or cut while hunting an infected animal. From here, the virus then spread for years in Africa, mainly through unprotected heterosexual vaginal intercourse.
- There are different theories as to how the virus spread to different countries. Such as in Ukraine, HIV affected the drug dealers and users first. In the US and the UK, AIDS spread through homosexual and bisexual relations. As for the African countries, it is said that heterosexual relationships were the main cause behind its spread.
- Antiretroviral therapy can help AIDs patients to live longer, better and healthier lives. The ART also helps decrease chances of its transmission to a large extent.
- A strange aspect of the HIV infection is that people who have been diagnosed with HIV have a difficult time recognizing the emotion of fear in others as compared to their healthy counterparts. One theory behind this phenomenon is that the virus damages the brain, which causes difficulties in recognizing expressions and emotions in others.
- Theoretically, people getting tattoos and piercings are at a risk of contracting HIV, no such cases has been reported yet.
- The virus first emerged from Africa, and spread across the globe within a ten year span.
- Parts of the world where the AIDS epidemic is at its lowest are: Middle East, North Africa, East Asia and Western and Central Europe. Across all these areas, the percentage of population infected with the virus is below 0.2%.
- Circumcision is a preventative measure which can save men from getting infected from an infected female partner Male circumcision also helps prevent other STDs, UTIs and penile cancer.
- With the increasing life expectancy of people with HIV, it is estimated that the virus will continue to spread. As life prolonging techniques and therapies help people with HIV live longer, their chances of transmission of the virus increases dramatically.
