HIV/AIDS - statistics and facts
The Human Immunodeficiancy Virus, commonly refered to as HIV, is a virus that causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome or AIDS. AIDS is a condition that leads to the continuous deterioration of the immune system and leaves the infected person vulnerable to infections and illnesses and ultimately results in death.
HIV can be passed on by transmission of an infected person’s blood or sexual fluid to another person’s blood. The most common methods of HIV transmission are unsafe sex, unclean needles used to inject intravenous drugs and the passing on of the virus from an infected mother to her child, either prenatally or through breastfeeding.
In 2009, more than 30 million people were HIV positive. Around 20 million of those
infected with HIV lived in Sub-Saharan Africa where HIV prevalence is disproportionately high. Of the
20 countries with the highest HIV prevalence in 2007, all were in Africa.
Due to the large number of infected people and lack of available treatment,
AIDS substantially lowers life expectancy in African countries. Compared to African countries,
HIV prevalence in North America and Europe is significantly lower. This can be attributed to better information, higher hygiene standards and better HIV prevention. Most importantly, the extent to which infected mothers pass the virus on to their children is substantially lower in developed countries due to better HIV testing and medical treatment.
Since its discovery in 1981, treatment options for HIV and AIDS have become better and the prognosis for virus carriers subject to treatment has vastly improved. With the help of
antiretroviral drugs, people infected with HIV can keep their viral count at a low level and effectively stall the progress from HIV to AIDS.
Access to treatment however is still limited and unevenly spread. In 2008,
1.4 million people died of AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa, which shows that even though progress is being made, the extent to which HIV and AIDS affect life and impede growth in Africa is still devastating.
Photo: Jill Chen, istock