Burning desire part two

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the virus that causes AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). Individuals diagnosed with AIDS have a severely weakened immune system and are susceptible to life-threatening diseases and infections. AIDS was first reported in the United States in 1981 and has since become a major worldwide epidemic. New treatments have greatly improved the survival rates of people with AIDS.

How do you know that you have it?

The only way to determine for sure whether you are infected is to be tested for HIV infection. Many people who are infected with HIV do not have any symptoms for many years.

The following may be warning signs of an HIV infection, but do not guarantee that you are infected:

•  Rapid weight loss

•  Dry cough

•  Recurring fever or profuse night sweats

•  Profound and unexplained fatigue

•  Swollen lymph glands in the armpits, groin, or neck

•  Diarrhoea that lasts for more than a week

•  White spots or unusual blemishes on the tongue, in the mouth or in the throat

•  Pneumonia

•  Red, brown, pink, or purplish blotches on or under the skin or inside the mouth, nose or eyelids

•  Memory loss, depression, and other neurological disorders

Don't assume you are infected if you have any of the above symptoms, as each of these can be related to other illnesses. Again, the only way to determine whether you are infected is to be tested specifically for HIV.

Will it affect my chances of having children?

HIV can be passed from mother to child, a factor to consider when planning a pregnancy.