December 1 is World AIDS Day. Started in 1988, its purpose is to increase awareness, highlight the importance, and show unity around the common cause of this disease.
AIDS is diagnosed when those infected with HIV exhibit common infection-related symptoms, such as fevers, night sweats, weakness, chills, weight loss. Certain cancers are also more prevalent in AIDS patients.
High risk areas for the spread of HIV include blood transfusion and childbirth, from a mother infected with HIV to her baby. After those, the spread is largely attributed to exposure via shared drug needles and unprotected anal sex.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 33 million people are living with HIV worldwide. Many do not know they are infected.
For more information on HIV/AIDS, visit AIDS.gov, AIDS Info, or the CDC.
