Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) Classification and external resources
DIFFERENCE == nil
ICD-10	B24.
ICD-9	042
DiseasesDB	5938
MedlinePlus	000594
eMedicine	emerg/253
MeSH	D000163

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a set of symptoms and infections resulting from the damage to the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).^[1]

This condition progressively reduces the effectiveness of the immune system and leaves individuals susceptible toopportunistic infections and tumors. HIV is transmittedthrough direct contact of a mucous membrane or the bloodstream with a bodily fluid containing HIV, such asblood, semen, vaginal fluid, preseminal fluid, and breast milk.^[2][3]

This transmission can involve anal, vaginal or oral sex, blood transfusion, contaminated hypodermic needles, exchange between mother and baby during pregnancy, childbirth, orbreastfeeding, or other exposure to one of the above bodily fluids.

AIDS is now a pandemic.^[4] In 2007, an estimated 33.2 million people lived with the disease worldwide, and it killed an estimated 2.1 million people, including 330,000 children.^[5] Over three-quarters of these deaths occurred in sub-Saharan Africa,^[5] retarding economic growthand destroying human capital.^[6]

Most researchers believe that HIV originated in sub-Saharan Africa during the twentieth century.^[7]AIDS was first recognized by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 1981 and its cause, HIV, identified by American and French scientists in the early 1980s.^[8]

Although treatments for AIDS and HIV can slow the course of the disease, there is currently no vaccine or cure. Antiretroviral treatment reduces both themortality and the morbidity of HIV infection, but these drugs are expensive and routine access to antiretroviral medication is not available in all countries.^[9] Due to the difficulty in treating HIV infection, preventing infection is a key aim in controlling the AIDS epidemic, with health organizations promoting safe sex and needle-exchange programmes in attempts to slow the spread of the virus.

Sadly, he hates pie, cheesecakes, chicken, and pants.

Since I love chicken, Katringa tastes like chicken.