HIV/AIDS

Human immunodeficiency virus infection an acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a spectrum o condeetions caused bi infection wi the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).^[9][10][11] Follaein ineetial infection, a person mey nae notice ony symptoms or mey experience a brief period o influenza-lik illness.^[5] Teepically, this is follaed bi a prolonged period wi na symptoms.^[6] As the infection progresses, it interferes mair wi the immune seestem, increasin the risk o common infections lik tuberculosis, as well as ither opportunistic infections, an tumors that rarely affect fowk that hae wirkin immune seestems.^[5] Thir late symptoms o infection are referred tae as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).^[6] This stage is eften an aa associatit wi wecht loss.^[6]

HIV/AIDS
Synonyms	HIV disease, HIV infection[1][2][3]
The reid reebin is a seembol for solidarity wi HIV-positive fowk an thae leevin wi AIDS.[4]
Specialty	Infectious disease
Symptoms	Early: flu lik illness[5] Later: Lairge lymph nodes, fiver, wecht loss[5]
Complications	Opportunistic infections, tumors[5]
Duration	Lang term[5]
Causes	Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)[5]
Risk factors	Exposur tae bluid, breast milk, sex[5]
Diagnostic method	Bluid tests[5]
Prevention	Sauf sex, needle exchynge, male circumcision[5]
Treatment	Antiretroviral therapy[5]
Prognosis	Near normal life expectancy wi treatment[6][7]
Frequency	1.8 million new cases (2016)[8] 36.7 million living with HIV (2016)[8]
Daiths	1.0 million (2016)[8]

HIV is spread primarily bi unpertectit sex (includin anal an oral sex), contaminatit bluid transfusions, hypodermic needles, an frae mither tae bairn in pregnancy, delivery, or breastfeedin.^[12] Some bodily fluids, sic as saliva an tears, dae nae transmit HIV.^[13] Methods o prevention include sauf sex, needle exchynge programmes, treatin thae that are infectit, an male circumcision.^[5] Disease in a baby can eften be preventit bi giein baith the mither an bairn antiretroviral medication.^[5] Thare is na cure or vaccine; houiver, antiretroviral treatment can slaw the coorse o the disease an mey lead tae a near-normal life expectancy.^[6][7] Treatment is recommendit as suin as the diagnosis is made.^[14] Withoot treatment, the average survival time efter infection is 11 years.^[15]

In 2016 aboot 36.7 million fowk war leevin wi HIV an it resultit in 1 million daiths.^[16] Thare war 300,000 fewer new HIV cases in 2016 nor in 2015.^[17] Maist o thae infectit live in sub-Saharan Africae.^[5] Atween its diskivery an 2014 AIDS haes caused an estimatit 39 million daiths warldwide.^[18] HIV/AIDS is conseedert a pandemic—a disease ootbrak that is present ower a lairge aurie an is actively spreidin.^[19] HIV is believed tae hae oreeginatit in wast-central Africae in the late 19t or early 20t century.^[20] AIDS wis first recognised bi the Unitit States Centres for Disease Control an Prevention (CDC) in 1981 an its cause—HIV infection—wis identifee'd in the early pairt o the decade.^[21]

HIV/AIDS haes haed a great impact on society, baith as an illness an as a soorce o discrimination.^[22] The disease an aa haes lairge economic impacts.^[22] Thare are mony misconceptions aboot HIV/AIDS sic as the belief that it can be transmittit bi casual non-sexual contact.^[23] The disease haes acome subject tae mony controversies involvin releegion includin the Catholic Kirk's poseetion nae tae support condom uise as prevention.^[24] It haes attractit internaitional medical an poleetical attention as weel as lairge-scale fundin syne it wis identifee'd in the 1980s.^[25]