HIV infection weakens the immune system leaving it vulnerable to certain infections, known as “opportunistic” infections as they attack weakened immune system thereby causing illness. Most infected people will develop AIDS as a result of their HIV infection.

Q. What is AIDS?

Ans. Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Syndrome or AIDS is diagnosed in a person infected by HIV after they develop one of the AIDS indicator illnesses. An HIV-positive person who has not had any serious illnesses also can receive an AIDS diagnosis on the basis of certain blood tests.

A positive HIV test result does not mean that a person has AIDS. A diagnosis of AIDS is made by a physician using certain clinical criteria (e.g., AIDS indicator illnesses).

Many of the infections that cause problems or may be life-threatening for people with AIDS are usually controlled by a healthy immune system. The immune system of a person with AIDS is weakened to the point that medical intervention may be necessary to prevent or treat serious illness.

Appropriate medical treatment can slow down the rate at which HIV weakens the immune system and some of the illnesses associated with AIDS can be prevented or cured. Early detection is the key to health management of an infected person as it offers more options for treatment and preventive care although as yet NO Cure has been found for AIDS.

Q. How does HIV cause AIDS?

Ans .HIV destroys a certain kind of blood cells—CD4+ T cells (helper cells)—which are crucial to the normal function of the human immune system. In fact, studies have revealed that most people infected with HIV carry the virus for years before enough damage is done to the immune system for AIDS to develop. Reducing the amount of virus in the body with anti-HIV drugs can slow this immune destruction. Scientists estimate that about half the people with HIV develop AIDS within 10 years of being infected although this time varies greatly depending on factors like a person’s health status and their health-related behaviors.

Q. How do people get infected with HIV?

Ans. HIV is mostly transmitted through semen and vaginal fluids during unprotected sex (sex without the use of condoms). To a limited extent, the possibility of contracting the infections through orals sex also exists if the partner performing oral sex has mouth ulcers. Besides sexual intercourse, HIV can also be transmitted during drug injection by the sharing of needles contaminated with infected blood; by the transfusion, of infected blood or blood products; and from an infected woman to her baby - before birth, during birth or just after delivery.

HIV does not spread through ordinary social contact; for example by snaking hand, traveling in the same bus, eating from the same utensils, by hugging or kissing. Mosquitoes and insects do not spread the virus nor is it water-borne or air-borne.

Q: In a country of over 1 Billion people, a mere 5.1 million are infected by HIV. Why then is the AIDS epidemic considered so serious?

Ans. Although the numbers appear small, especially when seen as a percentage of the total population of the country, the virus presents a huge challenge for a variety of reasons.

• In 1984 the first case was detected. In a mere two decades the numbers have grown to 5.134 million known cases. If unchecked, the virus can overtake the population in a very short time.

• AIDS affects people primarily when they are most productive and leads to premature death thereby severely affecting the socio-economic structure of whole families, communities and countries. AIDS is not curable and since HIV is transmitted predominantly through

• sexual contact, and sexuality is essentially a private domain, these issues are difficult to address, leading to problems in containing the epidemic.

Q. Why is HIV considered a ‘workplace issue’?

Ans. HIV is considered a ‘workplace issue’ because

• The spread is most in the age group 19-45 years that covers the working life of most people.

• Increased incidence of the infection, especially in the later stages, results in losses due to ill health of workers, productive time loss, increased medical claims, irregular and undependable workforce.

• At its height, the infection if unchecked can destroy valuable markets as both productive and purchasing populations are diminished.

• The most effective tools against the spread of HIV are education and awareness generation. Workplaces provide captive audiences of people ‘at risk’. Through the large numbers that businesses can tap through workers, their families and eventually the larger community, it is poised at the most effective place to spread awareness.

• Resources – management, material and human – needed to tackle the HIV/ADIS challenge are easily available to businesses.

Q. How can HIV be managed at the workplace?

Ans.There are essentially three components of HIV management at the workplace:

• Advocacy and implementation of company policie

• Educational programmes and awareness generation,

• Care and support provisions to help HIV-positive workers continue with their employment.

Q. Is it safe to work with someone infected with HIV?

Ans. Yes. Industrial and corporate workers face no risk of getting the virus while doing their work. If they have the virus themselves, they are not a risk to others during the course of their work.

Q. Why are people safe from HIV infection during work?

Ans. The virus is mainly transmitted through the transfer of blood or sexual fluids. Since contact with blood or sexual fluids is not part of most people’s work, most workers are safe. HIV is not transmitted through normal social contact like shaking hands, sharing food or working together. Nor does HIV spread through mosquito bites, etc.

Q. What about working every day in close physical contact with an infected person?

Ans. There are no risks involved. As the virus has a very short life outside the body and is transmitted through body fluids and not through the air or water, you may share the same telephone or work side by side in a crowded factory with HIV infected persons, even share the same cup of tea, without exposing yourself to the risk of contracting the infection. Being in contact with dirt and sweat will also not give you the infection

Q. Who is at risk while at work?

Ans. Health care workers - doctors, dentists, nurses, laboratory technicians, and others who come into contact with blood during the course of their work may be at risk and must take special care against possible contact with infected blood, as for example by using gloves.

Q. If a worker has HIV infection, should he or she be allowed to continue work?

Ans. There is a no-discrimination policy in place in most organizations that allows healthy though infected people to continue working. They should be treated in the same way as are any other workers. Those with AIDS or AIDS-related illnesses should be treated in the same way as any other worker who is ill. Infection with HIV is not a reason in itself for termination of employment.

Q. Does an employee infected with the virus have to tell the employer about it?

Ans. Employees should not be required to inform their employer about their infection. If good information and education about AIDS are available to employees, a climate of understanding may develop in the workplace protecting the rights of the HIV-infected person.

Q. Should an employer test a worker for HIV?

Ans. Testing for HIV should not be required of workers as confidentiality of HIV status would be a right for all workers, as the status does not necessarily impact on performance or suitability for a job. If AIDS-related illness or any other chronic illness makes a worker unfit for a particular job, s/he should be provided with a suitable alternative job by the employer.

Q. Does AIDS also affect our region?

Ans. Of the 31-43 million adults with HIV infection - the global estimate in end-2003 – 25-28.2 million were in Sub-Saharan Africa and more than 9.5 million in Asia. Our region, that is South-East Asia, is likely to suffer the brunt of the epidemic - being home to over half the world’s population. Moreover, HIV/AIDS is now present in every continent and in every region of the world. In India, there are an estimated 5.134 million people infected by the HIV virus today. Localized epidemics within high-risk groups already exist in some locations in India, and the virus is spreading to the general population in some states. India is second only to South Africa in the number of HIV cases in a single country. Given India's large population, a mere 0.1 percent increase in the prevalence rate would increase the number of adults living with AIDS by over
half a million persons. Only through immediate and vigorous action to improve and step up control efforts will the country prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS among high-risk groups, and into the general population.

Q. How can I avoid being infected through sex?

Ans. You can avoid HIV infection by having a mutually faithful monogamous sexual relationship with an uninfected partner or by practicing safer sex. Safer sex involves the correct use of a condom during each sexual encounter. Chances of infection through non-penetrative sex are minimal and exist only if the partners have surface lesions or ulcers in the areas of body contact.

Q. Can we assume responsibility in preventing HIV infection?

Ans. Both men and women share the responsibility for avoiding behaviour that might lead to HIV infection. Equally, they also share the right to refuse sex and assume responsibility for ensuring safe sex. In many societies, however, men have much more control than women over when, with whom and how they have sex. In such cases, men need to assume greater responsibility for their actions.

Q. Does the presence of other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) facilitate HIV transmission?

Ans. Yes. Every STD causes some damage to the genital skin and mucous layer, which facilitates the entry of HIV into the body. The most dangerous are:
• Syphilis
• Chancrold
• Genital herpes
• Gonorrhoea

Q. Why is early treatment of STD important?

Ans. High rates of STD caused by unprotected sexual activity enhance the transmission risk in the general population. Early treatment of STD reduces the risk of spread to other sexual partners and also reduces the risk of contracting HIV from infected partners. Besides, early treatment of STD also prevents infertility and ectopic pregnancies.
HIV/AIDS AIDS affects people primarily when they are most productive and leads to premature death thereby severely affecting the socio-economic structure of whole families, communities and countries. Besides, AIDS is not curable and since HIV is transmitted predominantly through sexual contact, and with sexual practices being essentially a private domain, these issues are difficult to address.