Started on 1st December 1988, World AIDS Day is about raising money, increasing awareness, fighting prejudice and improving education. The World AIDS Day theme for 2009 is 'Universal Access and Human Rights'. World AIDS Day is important in reminding people that HIV has not gone away, and that there are many things still to be done.
According to UNAIDS estimates, there are now 33.4 million people living with HIV, including 2.1 million children. During 2008 some 2.7 million people became newly infected with the virus and an estimated 2 million people died from AIDS.1Around half of all people who become infected with HIV do so before they are 25 and are killed by AIDS before they are 35.2
The vast majority of people with HIV and AIDSlive in lower- and middle-income countries. But HIV today is a threat to men, women and children on all continents around the world.
AIDS stands for: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
AIDS is caused by HIV.
What is HIV?
HIV is a virus that attacks the body's immune system - the body's defence against diseases.
Are HIV and AIDS the same?
No. When someone is described as living with HIV, they have the HIV virus in their body. A person is considered to have developed AIDS when the immune system is so weak it can no longer fight off a range of diseases with which it would normally cope.
How is HIV passed on?
HIV can be passed on through infected blood, semen, vaginal fluids or breast milk.
The most common ways HIV is passed on are:
- Sex without a condom with someone living with HIV
- Sharing infected needles, syringes or other injecting drug equipment
- From an HIV-positive mother (to her child) during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding (but with effective treatment and care the risk of transmission can be greatly reduced)
I don't know anyone with HIV... do I?
Today there are more people than ever before living with HIV , but less people report knowing someone with HIV. People with HIV generally look healthy and many do not find it easy to tell other people, so you may not realize if someone you know is HIV positive.
Always use a condom when having vaginal or anal sex. You also may want to use a condom or dental dam during oral sex although the risk of transmission of HIV is much lower. You can get free condoms from a sexual health clinic, which you can locate at via the fpa website. Never share needles, syringes or any other injecting equipment.
Racial Breakdown
| Race | % of AIDS diagnoses in 20075 | % of population in 20076 |
|---|---|---|
| White | 30% | 66% |
| Black/African American | 49% | 12% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 19% | 15% |
| Asian | 1% | 4% |
| American Indian/Alaska Native | <1% | <1% |
| Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander | <1% | <1% |
Geographical Breakdown
- highest
- lowest
Get Tested.Get Informed.
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