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What Does HIV Do To You?

A lot of people around the world are infected with and suffering from HIV. We are all constantly warned about HIV but we are seldom actually told what happens when we contract HIV. If you want to know what HIV actually does to you then you may want to read on.

HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. The name is kind of self explanatory. Let us take a closer look.

Human would imply that the virus only infects people. This is true. Although the virus is believed to have originated in primates in Africa it mutated when it came into contact with humans and now only infects humans. There is a disease known as feline HIV but this is not the same virus.

It is the immunodeficiency part of the name that tells you how HIV will affect you. Since it is a virus it requires other cells to replicate. It cannot breed without the cellular material provided by the CD4 cells of the human immune system. This cell is a vital part of our immune systems. As the virus breeds it uses up more and more of these cells and eventually your immune system is not able to keep up the required rate of production to keep your immune system in working order and your immune system becomes less effective.

Once this happens you become vulnerable to a wide range of other diseases as your immune system is not able to combat the bacteria and viruses that cause these other illnesses. It is these illnesses, most commonly tuberculosis and pneumonia, that kill you in the long run, not HIV itself.

This is why there is a difference between having HIV and having AIDS. AIDS is the state where your body is no longer able to protect itself from the other viruses and bacteria in the environment. You can be HIV positive but show no effects for a long time. The duration of this seemingly dormant period will depend on the activity of the virus and the strength of your immune system. Some people are lucky and the virus that they are infected with does not cause enough damage to weaken their immune system. They can still pass on the virus to other people though who may not be so lucky.

As I am sure you know, HIV is passed along through the exchange of body fluids. Particularly body fluids that contain the CD4 cells. Saliva, for example, does not contain sufficient live cells to transmit the disease yet breast milk can.

If you are still wondering whether HIV is dangerous or not you have obviously not been paying much attention. There is no cure for HIV at present and once you have the virus in your system it is only a matter of time. It may take years, but the virus will get you in the end. Rather be safe and avoid intercourse with people who are HIV positive or even getting into contact with the body fluids of a person whose status you do not know.