Bloodborne Pathogens

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). AIDS was first reported in the U.S. in 1981, and has since become a major worldwide epidemic. HIV is passed from one person to another through blood-to-blood and sexual contact. Pregnant women infected with HIV can also pass the virus to their baby during pregnancy or delivery, and through breast-feeding.

People with HIV have what is called HIV infection. Most of these people will eventually develop AIDS as the result of their HIV infection. By killing or damaging cells of the body's immune system, HIV progressively destroys the body's ability to fight infections and certain cancers. People diagnosed with AIDS may get life-threatening diseases called opportunistic infections, which are caused by microbes such as viruses or bacteria that usually do not affect healthy people.

The symptoms of HIV infection range from an asymptomatic state to severe immunodeficiency and associated opportunistic infections, neoplasms, and other conditions. Initial infection can be followed by an acute flu-like illness, with such symptoms as:

The risk of disease progression increases with the duration of the infection. Most studies show that less than 5% of HIV infected adults develop AIDS within 2 years of infection. Without therapy, approximately 20-25% of infected adults develop AIDS within 2 years of infection, and 50% within 10 years.

According to the joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), in 2004 nearly 40 million people worldwide were estimated to be living with HIV. Over 3 million people died from AIDS in 2004, and close to 5 million people acquired the HIV infection in 2004.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 850,000-950,000 persons in the U.S. were infected with HIV as of 2002. The cumulative estimated number of diagnoses of AIDS through 2003 in the U.S. is 929,985.

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