• Question: what is aids and why is it past on through sexual intercourse

    Asked by th3sw33n3y to Alastair, Emma, Hywel, Keith, Vicki on 18 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Alastair Sloan

      Alastair Sloan answered on 17 Jun 2010:

      AIDS is as disease of the immune system and is caused by a virus called the Human Immunodeficiency Virus usually known as HIV. People who have the virus are HIV positive but it can take a long time – sometimes many years – before the person develops AIDS. Because the virus attacks the immune system and makes it weaker, patients with AIDS are at risk of getting infections or developing tumours and people do not die of AIDS but of a disease caught because they have AIDS. Its called AIDS related disease.

      The virus circulates in the bloodstream and some other body fluids including semen and vaginal fluid and is passed from person to person when mucous membranes come into contact with blood or body fluids infected with HIV

      During sex, the mucous membranes on the glans penis or the walls of the vagina are exposed to body fluids intensely and the virus can pass across the barrier into the body system

    • Photo: Keith Brain

      Keith Brain answered on 17 Jun 2010:

      AIDs (Acquired immune deficiency syndrome) is an illness that is cause by HIV (Human Immunodeficience Virus). Its passed on through intercourse (and though sharing needles, and through contact with infected blood) because the HIV virus is present in most bodily secretions. Viruses are very small, and almost no barrier in the body can stop them. However, the HIV virus is very fragile, so if doesn’t survive out in the environment for very long – that’s why transmission between people required very close contact, as in sexual intercourse. AIDs used to be a real killer, but the drugs now available are very good at keeping it under control – still can’t cure it though (except by bone marrow transplant, I understand!). The main deaths from AIDs are in developing countries, where either the authorities refuse to acknowledge that it exists (eg. China) or they deny a link between AIDs and HIV.

    • Photo: Emma Carter

      Emma Carter answered on 18 Jun 2010:

      I think it stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and it can be transmitted through sexual intercourse or blood transfusions – I can’t explain exactly why though – you’ll get a better answer from someone more bio or medical

    • Photo: Vicki Stevenson

      Vicki Stevenson answered on 18 Jun 2010:

      The initials AIDS stand for acquired immune deficiency syndrome. It’s a disease which reduces your immune system which leaves you vulnerable to all kinds of other infections.
      Some illnesses can be spread very easily – for instance if someone with a cold or flu coughs into their hand then opens a door, you can get their germs by touching the door handle after them.
      Compared to this AIDS is much more difficult to spread – it can be caught through direct contact with blood, semen, vaginal fluid and breast milk. Sexual intercourse involves contact with semen and vaginal fluid, so it is a high risk activity with someone who has AIDS.

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