All about HIV and AIDS: Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments
December 1st is observed as World AIDS Day. This day is observed as a day of creating awareness around the severity of the disease and educating people at risk about the ways and means of preventive care and precautions to observe in case they do test positive for the disease. What is AIDS? Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome is what AIDS is short for. It is not a disease per se, but rather a syndrome. A syndrome is a group of signs or symptoms that are indicative of illness. Immunodeficiency is a condition where the immunity of the body is lowered and the system, therefore, becomes prone to infections. What causes AIDS and How? Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome is an acquired condition, caused by an infection of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus or HIV. HIV is a retrovirus that attacks the immune cells of the body and weakens the immune system. A weakened immune system is easy prey for infections and thus a person suffering from HIV infection is easily affected by othe...