Basic information

HIV raises many questions and insecurities. Basic information about the disease, its symptoms and important facts & figures give a brief insight to this vast field. Information about ways of infection and HIV during pregnancy are also included in this section.

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  What is HIV?

  HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus, is a retrovirus that can lead to AIDS.
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  Symptoms

  Recognising the initial symptoms of HIV is important. A person unknowingly HIV infected can get the same diseases as a non-infected person, so they might be harmless.
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  Facts & figures

  Despite the progress made in a few countries due to the easy access on the new drugs and drugs in general, globally the AIDS epidemic is far from being under control.
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  Ways to catch HIV

  HIV is transmitted through body fluids. The major ways of HIV transmission are sexual intercourse, unsafe injecting practices, mother-to-child transmission and transfusion of contaminated blood.
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  Pregnancy and HIV

  HIV can be transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy, labour, delivery and through breastfeeding. However, the risk of transmission can be reduced. The right treatment can cut the risk of transmission to below 2%.
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