HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It attacks the body and harms the immune system by destroying the white blood cells that fight infection. Which in turn diminishes the body's ability to protect itself against disease. If left untreated, HIV will eventually progress into AIDS – acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.
In this lesson, we'll take a look at transmission rates, symptoms (though very problematic and unreliable), and how you can better protect yourself from infection.
Pro Tip #1: On average, it takes 10 years for the HIV virus to progress into AIDS. However, this average varies greatly person to person, and is affected by a number of factors like health status, behavioral characteristics, medications taken, etc.
Since 1996, with the introduction of powerful retroviral therapies, the natural progression of HIV to AIDS has been slowed.
AIDS Statistics in the U.S.
There are around 1.1 million people living with HIV in the United States. What is perhaps even more troubling is that around 18 percent aren't even aware they have been infected, as they haven't been tested and symptoms don't exist or aren't noticeable.
Around 50,000 people become infected with HIV each year and approximately 15,000 each year die from AIDS.
HIV Infection Rates by Category According to CDC
From highest to lowest, these are the ways in which people are infected with HIV each year in the U.S.
| Category |
2011 |
2018 |
| Male to male sexual contact |
62% |
66% |
| Heterosexual contact (females) |
18% |
16% |
| Heterosexual contact (males) |
10% |
8% |
| Injection drug use (male) |
5% |
4% |
| Injection drug use (female) |
3% |
3% |
| Male to male sexual contact and IDU |
3% |
4% |
| Other |
1% |
1% |
Other includes babies who are born from infected mothers, blood transfusions, and needle sticks, among other less common reasons. Of the babies that contract HIV, this can occur before birth, during birth, or during breastfeeding.
Pro Tip #2: Out of the estimated 50,000 people per year infected with HIV, less than one percent is due to a work-related incident. What does this mean for you? Of all the ways people contract HIV, very few will become infected in the workplace, even in professions (like yours) where the risk is higher.
Warning: Don't let that lull you into a false sense of security. Part of the reason that number is so low is because proper infection control policies are routinely put in place for many professions who are around bloodborne pathogens and OPIM. Follow your policies and procedures, and your chances will likely go well below that one percent.
HIV Signs and Symptoms
If left unchecked, HIV is a deadly virus that eventually will spread to AIDS. But how do you know if you've been infected with HIV?
Get tested! That's the only sure way to know. However, sometimes there are signs. (Often there are no symptoms, which is why it's a good idea to get tested if there's any question or doubt.)
Symptoms, when present, can include:
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Night sweats
- Weight loss
- Rash
- Dry cough
Pro Tip #3: The HIV virus is actually quite fragile (outside the body) and will die within seconds after being exposed to air. Inside the body, the amount of the virus present in body fluid and the physiological condition of the host will determine how long the virus lives.
It's important to note – There is currently no vaccine or cure for HIV or AIDS.
Some Important HIV/AIDS Takeaways
How HIV is spread is important, as this happens mostly through unprotected sex and from sharing needles or syringes. Only a very small fraction of one percent of people are infected while providing medical care, and most of these are due to sticks from dirty needles.
While this may seem obvious to many, particularly medical professionals, HIV (like other bloodborne pathogens and OPIM) cannot be spread by casual contact, such as hugging, handshaking, doorknobs, toilet seats, etc.
Pro Tip #4: Remember, symptoms are not reliable and may not be present for many years, which means numerous people infected with HIV will never know they have it until those symptoms appear or … through proper testing.
A Word About Pathogens and the Diseases and Conditions They Cause
Let's take a quick look at the variety of pathogens that exist and the conditions and diseases they cause.
Viruses
Hepatitis, measles, mumps, chicken pox, meningitis, rubella, influenza, warts, colds, herpes, HIV (which causes AIDS), genital warts, smallpox, avian flu, Ebola, and Zika.
Bacteria
Tetanus, meningitis, scarlet fever, strep throat, tuberculosis, gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, toxic shock syndrome, Legionnaires' disease, diphtheria, food poisoning, Lyme disease, and anthrax.
Fungi
Athlete's foot, ringworm, and histoplasmosis.
Protozoa
Malaria, dysentery, Cyclospora, and giardiasis.
Rickettsia
Typhus and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
Parasitic Worms
Abdominal pain, anemia, lymphatic vessel blockage, lowered antibody response, and respiratory and circulatory complications.
Prions
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease).
Yeasts
Candidiasis (also known as thrush).