Global HIV Statistics

HIV and AIDS have not spared any nation from its wrath. Each and every continent is trying to overcome the rage of HIV. Though, in some parts of the world, it has met reasonable success, in most of its parts, HIV and AIDS is still the biggest challenge. According to the UNAIDS, the global HIV statistics of people infected with HIV around the world so far is 34 millions, while another 25 millions have died out of it. In 2008 itself, 33.4 million people were diagnosed to be living with HIV, with a new addition of 2.7 million. The total number of deaths due to AIDS was 2 million. 40% of all HIV patients around the world are youth, above the age of 15 years. 2.9 million HIV patients are below 15 years of age.
In 2008, the number of children born with HIV is 430000. However, the part of the world that leads and owes the maximum contribution to the global HIV statistics is sub: Saharan Africa.
Global Statistics of HIV in Asia

• Number of people living with HIV: 3.8 million
• Newly infected in 2008: 355000
• Deaths due to AIDS: 329000

Global Statistics of HIV in Eastern Europe and Central Asia

• Number of people living with HIV: 1.5 million
• Newly infected in 2008: 110000
• Deaths due to AIDS: 87000

Global Statistics of HIV in Latin America

• Number of people living with HIV: 2 million
• Newly infected in 2008: 170000
• Deaths due to AIDS: 77000

Global Statistics of HIV in North America

• Number of people living with HIV: 1.4 million
• Newly infected in 2008: 55000
• Deaths due to AIDS: 25000
• Number of females: 3,640,000

Global Statistics of HIV in Western and Central Europe

• Number of people living with HIV: 850000
• Newly infected in 2008: 30000
• Deaths due to AIDS: 13000

Global Statistics of HIV in Africa
Africa is the most affected continent. It can be broadly divided into two regions

1. The Sub Saharan Africa
   • Number of people living with HIV: 22,000,000
   • Newly infected in 2008: 3,80,000
   • Deaths due to AIDS: 1,500,000
   • Women with HIV : 12,000,000
   • Children with HIV:1,800,000
2. The Southern Part of Africa
   • Number of people living with HIV: 4.8 million
   • Newly infected in 2008: 2,90,000
   • Deaths due to AIDS: 7,05,480
   • Women with HIV:2.4 million
   • Children with HIV: 2,43,000

We see that the total number of HIV positive cases in the entire continent of Africa rises up to more than 5 million, which is a big reason to worry. Prevalence of AIDS in Africa is 17.6%. Yet, only 9,20,000 people have access to anti retroviral treatment, which is just a little more than half of the total number of infected.
However, after the mass implementation of HIV vaccination programs, and extensive campaigns on the topic, the number of HIV contraction every year has come down to 2.7 millions, from 3.2 million. It is a reduction by 10% from that of 2004, which is considered to have been the worst period of the epidemic. Nevertheless, in most continents, things are coming under control. Africa, where there is a still a long way to go, till the problem gets moderated, leads the world in the global AIDS Statistics, and falls behind all other nations in terms of treatments.
Related more links

• HIV in Prisons and Jails
• HIV in the 1980s
• HIV Statistics of Youth
• HIV in Africa
• HIV in Asia
• HIV in Botswana
• HIV in Europe
• HIV in India
• HIV in Saliva
• HIV in Swaziland
• HIV in USA

Drugs and HIV

Drugs are used for several reasons. It may be for fun, to feel euphoric, to get psychedelic, and to detach oneself from the society, out of depression and so on. The most common ways to take drugs are through, smoking, sniffing, rubbing and injecting. Where the others may not carry the risk of transmission of AIDS, sharing drugs with the help of the same needle may lead to it. Those who indulge in this act are called IDUs (Injected drug Users). This section of people is most vulnerable to HIV. IDUs use popular drugs like Cocaine, opiates, amphetamines and heroin. 43% of the American population take heroin with syringe, and often, sharing of it, culminates to AIDS.
Drug Abuse And HIV:
Studies show that today, there are more than 10 million drug users all over the world, with or without HIV. It has been studied that about 30% of the total cases of HIV, are a result of administering drugs with the help of the same drug syringe shared between a HIV patient and a healthy person. This is a non sexual route of transmission of HIV. A syringe should be immediately discarded, if it has been used by an AIDS patient. If the same syringe is used by another healthy person, then, the contaminated needle will surely transfer the infection to him. Other blood borne virus like Hepatitis C and Hepatitis B are also caused due to sharing of the same drug needle. The infected blood directly goes into the bloodstream of the healthy person, as a result of sharing contaminated needles.
Know about Drugs and HIV:
HIV can survive in the same syringe for about a month. It is also suggested not to use ones own syringe more than once, as after the first use, there may be enough possibilities for the growth of bacteria in it, leading to other infection. Therefore, a new needle should be used, every time an injection is administered inside our blood stream.
HIV can also be transmitted by means of accidental needle stick. Many nurses, dispensary assistants, or drug users, accidentally pierce the syringe of a HIV patient into their skin by mistake, and infuse this infection in their body too.
Intake of drugs through needles, not only boosts non sexual transmission of the disease, but also paves the way for sexual transmission. Some of the drugs like marijuana and cocaine lead to high sensibility, and sexual arousal. The HIV positive person under the impact of drugs may indulge in a sexual act, transmitting the disease to a healthy person.
In many Asian countries like Malaysia, Vietnam, Yunnan province in China, and northeastern parts of India, the main cause of HIV has been found to be drug addiction, and sharing of needles. Nations like Spain and Italy tops that list in Europe. While in Russia, half the HIV cases has been a result of drug injection. Many Asian countries like Bangkok, where HIV was unknown till the early 90s, became badly infested with the disease, as drug abuse became common.
In many places, needle exchange programs are conducted, for those who cannot buy a new syringe every time. On one hand, this act was strongly criticized, as it indirectly backed up drug addiction. On the other hand, it was supported. In many places like Vancouver and Montreal, it helped in reducing the propagation or the disease through sharing of contaminated needles. So always be careful about drugs and HIV both.

hiv symtoms hivs

• The virus destroys the cells that are the primary infection fighters, a type of white blood cell called CD4 cells.
• Even though the person has no symptoms, he or she is contagious and can pass HIV to others through the routes listed above.

AIDS is the later stage of HIV infection, when the body begins losing its ability to fight infections. Once the CD4 cell count falls low enough, an infected person is said to have AIDS. Sometimes, the diagnosis of AIDS is made because the person has unusual infections or cancers that show how weak the immune system is.

• The infections that happen with AIDS are called  because they take advantage of the opportunity to infect a weakened host. The infections include (but are not limited to)

hiv symtoms

HIV/AIDS Symptoms and Signs

Many people with HIV do not know they are infected.

• Many people do not develop symptoms after they first get infected with HIV. Others have a flu-like illness within several days to weeks after exposure to the virus. They complain of fever, headache, tiredness, and enlarged lymph nodes in the neck. These symptoms usually disappear on their own within a few weeks. After that, the person feels normal and has no symptoms. This asymptomatic phase often lasts for years.
• The progression of disease varies widely among individuals. This state may last from a few months to more than 10 years.
• During this period, the virus continues to multiply actively and infects and kills the cells of the immune system.