How to Reduce Your HIV and AIDS risk
What is HIV?
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) attacks the body’s immune system. A healthy immune system is what keeps you from getting sick.

Because HIV damages your immune system, you are more likely to get sick from bacteria and viruses. It is also harder for your body to fight off these infections when you do get them, so you may have trouble getting better. HIV is the condition that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
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What is AIDS?
AIDS is a progression of HIV. When HIV moves into its final stages, it is considered to be AIDS. People who have AIDS are at an even higher risk of getting sick, and their bodies are even less able to fight off infections than people who have HIV. They usually die of an infection or cancer.
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How do people get HIV?
HIV can only be passed from person to person through body fluids, such as blood, semen and vaginal fluid. The most common ways HIV is passed are:
•By having unprotected anal, vaginal or oral sex with an infected person.
•By sharing needles and syringes for injecting drugs with an infected person.
You may be at risk of getting HIV if you have any of the risk factors listed in the box below. Children born to infected mothers can also become infected during pregnancy.

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HIV/Aids is one of the most feared diseases. IFWT wanted to make sure you remembered to get yourself tested to make sure that you are HIV/Aids free… Hit the jump to read up on some of the signs and symptoms but most importantly don’t forget to stay protected!! Staying protected is the only full proof way to make sure that you don’t get infected!

Some people experience signs and symptoms of HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), as soon as they become infected, while others do not. When they occur, early signs and symptoms are often mistaken for the flu or a mild viral infection. Initial signs and symptoms of HIV include:
Fever
Headache
Tiredness
Nausea
Diarrhea
Enlarged lymph nodes in the neck, armpits or groin

Any symptoms from becoming infected typically resolve in one to four weeks.

As you can see, the signs and symptoms of HIV infection are similar to those for many different viral infections. The only way to know for sure if you are infected with HIV is to be tested. Many people infected with HIV do not have any signs and symptoms at all for many years.

Later Signs and Symptoms of HIV/AIDS:
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says the following signs and symptoms may be warning signs of late-stage HIV infection:
rapid weight loss
dry cough
recurring fever or profuse night sweats
profound and unexplained fatigue
swollen lymph glands in the armpits, groin, or neck
diarrhea lasting more than a week
white spots or unusual blemishes on the tongue, in the mouth, or in the throat
pneumonia
red, brown, pink, or purplish blotches on or under the skin or inside the mouth, nose, or eyelids
memory loss, depression, and other neurological disorders
HIV destroys the white blood cells that are required to fight infection. As the white cell count falls to dangerous levels, numerous infections and diseases emerge. It is at this point that a person is said to have AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome).
According to the CDC, as with an initial HIV infection, you cannot rely on these signs and symptoms to establish a diagnosis of AIDS. The symptoms of AIDS are similar to the symptoms of many other illnesses. AIDS is a medical diagnosis made by a healthcare professional based on specific criteria established by the CDC.

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