Info & Stats

HIV – Human Immunodeficiency Virus

HIV is a virus that affects the immune system and makes it more susceptible to other viruses and infections.

HIV can be transmitted via:

• Unprotected sex
• Sharing of infected (drug) equipment
• Mother-to-child

HIV cannot be transmitted via:

• Casual contact such as shaking hands or working together
• Sneezing, coughing, or kissing
• Sharing plates and cutlery or bathrooms

AIDS – Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

A collection of symptoms.

As the HIV weakens the immune systems it allows for infections (‘opportunistic infections’) that normally would not affect a normal, healthy immune system.

Source: Global AIDS Rainbow, www.globalaidsrainbow.org

TB – Tuberculosis

TB is a contagious disease, caused mainly by Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

TB spreads through the air – for example via sneezing, coughing, or talking. A person becomes infected when TB bacteria are inhaled. An infection does not necessarily make a person sick; one third of the world population is living with the TB bacilli. When the TB bacteria multiply then this can cause active TB. Only active TB, usually in the lungs, is infectious.

A weakened immune system, for example as a result of HIV, increases the risk of becoming sick.

Source: WHO, www.who.int ; CDC, www.cdc.gov

Stats

• In 2007, there were 2.7 million new HIV infections and 33 million people lived with HIV worldwide.
• About 2 million adults and children died as a result of AIDS.

• 67% of those living with HIV lived in Sub-Saharan Africa, the worst affected area.
• 72% of all AIDS-related deaths occurred in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• The HIV adult prevalence rate (percent of population affected by a disease) in South Africa was 15-28%. The prevalence rate for the UK was 0.1-0.5%.

• In most affected countries, HIV prevalence rates are higher for females than for males.
• Young females’ knowledge of HIV and transmission is less than that of young males.

• In 2007, there were 370 000 new infections in children (under 15 years). The numbers have been declining as a result of mother-to-child prevention programmes.
• Nonetheless, 2 million children worldwide lived with HIV.
• Nearly 90% of these lived in Sub-Saharan Africa.
• Almost 12 million children (under 18 years) in Sub-Saharan Africa have been orphaned by AIDS.

• In 2007, only 3 million people in low- and middle-income countries were receiving antiretrovirals (medications for treating HIV infections).
• Children were less likely than adults to receive antiretrovirals.
• Without treatment approximately half of children with perinatal (related to time of birth) HIV infections will die by the time they are 2 years old.
• Approximately one-third of pregnant women in low- and middle-income countries received antiretrovirals.

• Too few people living with both HIV and TB receive treatment for both.

• In 2007, 13.7 million people lived with TB worldwide and there were 9.27 million new cases.
• Of these, 1.37 million occurred in HIV-positive individuals.
• Of the 1.77 million TB-related deaths, 456 000 were HIV-positive.

• South Africa is ranked the 5th country in the world in terms of absolute numbers of people living with TB.

Source: UNAIDS, www.unaids.org ; WHO, www.who.int