HIV: Transmission, and Treatment
HIV Overview: Human Immunodeficiency Virus, known as HIV , is a kind of virus that damages the immune system. Untreated HIV affects and kills CD4 cells, a type of immune system called T cell. Over time, as HIV kills many CD4 cells, the body is more likely to develop the worst conditions and different types of cancers. Where did HIV come from? HIV infection in humans came from chimpanzees in Central Africa. The chimpanzee version of the virus (called SIV) was probably passed to humans when humans hunted chimpanzees for food and came in touch with their HIV-infected blood. This virus probably jumped from chimpanzees to humans in the late 1800s. Over time, the virus slowly spread in Africa and later to different parts of the world. We know that the virus existed in the United States since the late 1970s. Transmission HIV can be transmitted through body fluids which include blood sperm, vaginal and rectal fluid, and breast milk. The virus is not transmitted through usual contacts like