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Face the Facts
by Juluis Chege
- AIDS is a viral disease that renders white blood cells inactive, making the body defenseless against other diseases.
- The first case of AIDS was reported in 1981; and it has since spread throughout the world.
- In Kenya, over 1.5 million people have died of AIDS since 1984. Worse, it is estimated that 2.2 million people are presently infected.
- In central province, Kiambu and Thika have the highest AIDS rates, where 31% of the population is HIV positive.
- AIDS has an incubation period of anywhere from six months to ten years, so it can be difficult to recognize an infected individual.
- AIDS is most rampant among the productive age groups i.e. 15-50 years.
- Every day in Kenya, around 500 people die of AIDS.
- In 1998, there were 33.4 million people infected with AIDS worldwide, 22.5 % of whom were African, and 2 million of whom were children.
How AIDS is spread
- sexual intercourse--this is the major mode of transmission, contributing to 80% of all AIDS cases
- blood transfusions
- piercings, tattoos, shaving, circumcision, ovulectomy
- pregnancy--the mother has a 40% chance of passing the virus to the unborn child
- breastfeeding
How AIDS is NOT spread
- shaking hands
- sharing bathroom/toilet
- sharing utensils
- playing together/living together
- insect bites (mosquito, bedbug, etc.)
Signs and Symptoms
- persistent diarrhea, cough or fever for more than a month
- skin diseases--sores, black spots, dandruff, herpes, dryness
- hair problems--thinning, hair loss
- thrush
- weight loss
(note: the above symptoms appear with full-blown AIDS, whereas the incubating HIV virus
has no outward symptoms.)
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