HIV & AIDS in the LATINO Community

HIV or the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, is a retrovirus which in most cases leads to AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Virus). This conditions causes the immune system to fail. The immune system is the part of your body which protects you from sicknesses and diseases, and so when it begins to fail, it can become life threatening. This life threatening virus is passes on from human to human through semen, vaginal secretion, open wounds (where blood can enter another persons open wound). Infected pregnant women can pass the disease onto their children during pregnancy or delivery, or even brest feeding. (http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/qa/qa1.htm) In the Hispanic Community the numv=ber of infected people is increasing.



In 2006 a study shows that hispanics accounted for 18% of the 35,314 new HIV/AIDS cases in 33 states with long-term, confidential name based HIV reporting. (http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/hispanics/resources/factsheets/hispanic.htm#2)

Every who is sexually active, whether they are hispanic or not needs to be responsible and protect themselves. AIDS and HIV are a serious illness. In order to keep it from spreading we must constantly get tested and use contraception that will not allow us to be infected or infect someone else. Too many people die every year from this terrible disease and it is up to us to try to control it.