HIV-An Overview

The cause of aids is an invader lethal yet so tiny that 16,000 of them can be accommodated on the tip of a needle. This invader has managed to drive fear through the hearts of billions of people around the globe and is known as Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes the dreaded disease Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome(AIDS). This disease has killed millions of people within a few decades.

The human body's immune system is attacked by HIV. The immune system fights against various organisms that invade our bodies such as viruses, bacteria and parasites. But after it has been crippled by an army of HIV, it is no longer able to fight these infections. However, even if a person has been infected with HIV, it may take several years for her or him to develop a full blown case of AIDS. People who are carriers of HIV, but have not yet developed AIDS are termed as "HIV-Positive". The progression of this disease erodes and finally destroys the afflicted person's immune system. Infections, that the body would fight in normal course becomes a serious threat to the patient's life. Since these infections cannot be stopped, they usually develop into serious problems, which finally leads to the infected person's death. A large number of AIDS patients die of cancer, as their immune system is greatly weakened and susceptible to developing a cancerous tumour.