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What is AIDS?
AIDS: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
AIDS is the most serious stage of HIV infection. It results from the destruction of the infected person’s immune system.
A- Acquired: passed from one person to another
I- Immune: the body’s defense system against disease
D- Deficiency: lack/shortage of or breakdown
S- Syndrome: a combination of symptoms and diseases
What causes AIDS?
AIDS is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). That is, HIV is the VIRUS that causes AIDS. HIV attacks and weakens the body’s immune system by destroying the body’s T-helper white blood cells; white blood cells are those cells in your body that fight infections.
Why Talk About AIDS?
In Florida, 15% of new infections of HIV are among persons under the age of 25.
2007-2009, 736 HIV cases were reported for ages 13-19 and 2,006 HIV cases were reported for ages 20-24.
A total of 3,833 persons aged 13-24 were living with HIV/AIDS through 2009, as of 12/31/09. 24% were from Miami-Dade County, 14% from Broward County and 8% from Palm Beach County.
In 2008, AIDS-related illnesses were the eighth leading cause of death among people between the ages of 15-19 and the seventh leading cause of death between the ages of 20-24.
Of the sexually transmitted diseases reported in Florida, in 2008, 34% of Chlamydia, 29% of Gonorrhea & 8% of Primary and Secondary Syphilis cases were ages 13-19.