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HIV/AIDS Resources for Refugees

Also called: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, HIV, Human immunodeficiency virus

AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. It is the most advanced stages of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV is a virus that kills or damages cells of the body's immune system.

HIV most often spreads through unprotected sex with an infected person. AIDS may also spread by sharing drug needles or through contact with the blood of an infected person. Women can give it to their babies during pregnancy or childbirth.

The first signs of HIV infection may be swollen glands and flu-like symptoms. These may come and go a month or two after infection. Severe symptoms may not appear until months or years later.

A blood test can tell if you have HIV infection. Your health care provider can perform the test, or call the national referral hotline at 1-800-CDC-INFO (24 hours a day, 1-800-232-4636 in English and en español; 1-888-232-6348 - TTY).

There is no cure, but there are many medicines to fight both HIV infection and the infections and cancers that come with it. People can live with the disease for many years.

AIDS

776 new cases of HIV/AIDS were diagnosed in Arizona in 2005.  The 2005 incidence rate for the disease was 12.8/100,000 people.  The death rate for 2005 was 2.2/100,000.  Fortunately, the death rate declined from 2.7/100,000 in 2004.  85.8 percent of these diagnoses were to men.  The male/female HIV/AIDS ratio increased to 6.1:1 from the previous 2004 rate of 4.8:1.  65.5 percent of the 2005 HIV/AIDS diagnoses were to men who reported having sexual contact with other men.  4.5 percent of diagnoses were made to men who reported having sexual contact with another man as well as injecting drugs.  11.9 percent of diagnoses were made to people who reported only injecting drugs.  Lastly, 8.5% of diagnoses were made to people who reported having sexual contact with a heterosexual HIV-infected partner.  50.9% of new HIV/AIDS cases diagnosed in 2005 were to White, non-Hispanic people.  31.6 percent of new cases were diagnosed to Hispanic people.  10.1 percent were diagnosed to Black Arizonans.  5.7 percent were diagnosed to American Indians, and 1% were diagnosed to Asians.1

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Last updated: February 5, 2010
Maintained by:Mary Riordan
 
 
 
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