The Science of HIV

Students will understand the following:
1. AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) decreases the body’s ability to fight infection and suppress multiplication of abnormal cells, such as cancer cells.
2. HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the virus that causes AIDS.
3. HIV is transmitted sexually, by contaminated blood, or via the placenta to the fetus of an infected mother.
4. While there are new and improved treatments for HIV, there is no cure, and, because of the nature of the virus, developing a preventive vaccine is problematic.
5. Unprotected sex is the most common means of HIV infection.
6. Teens are especially vulnerable to the AIDS epidemic and are, in fact, being infected at the alarming rate of one every hour.
7. An effective way of preventing the spread of AIDS is through education in the form of community awareness campaigns.