- New infections concentrated in young women
- HIV can be transmitted through semen, vaginal fluids,
blood, breastmilk or in utero
- No vaccine exists
- Prevention strategies are essential
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Approximately half of all HIV infections worldwide occur among
youth under 25 years of age. In some countries, as many as 60
percent of all new HIV infections are among young adults, with
twice as many in young women as in young men.
HIV is transmitted by an infected person through semen, vaginal
fluids, blood, breastmilk or in utero. Between one-fourth and
one-third of infants born to women infected with HIV become
infected. Called vertical or perinatal transmission, this can
occur in utero, during birth or through breastmilk. The percentage
of infected infants is substantially lower when HIV-infected
pregnant women take the drug nevirapine, which is relatively
simple to use and inexpensive.
HIV infection leads to AIDS, or "acquired immunodeficiency
syndrome," a severe depression of the immune system resulting
in various opportunistic infections. AIDS typically occurs several
years after infection and is almost always fatal. Several new
drug treatments show promise in delaying the onset of AIDS,
but they are expensive and are generally not available in developing
countries. No vaccine against AIDS is available at present.
The most potent weapon against HIV/AIDS is prevention. Anyone
who works with youth must remember the urgent need for effective
HIV prevention strategies.
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