In celebration of the World’s Aids Day, Manila Business College recently held a Symposium last December 5, 2009 entitled:  “The Season in Sharing a Thought on HIV”.  We invited Dr. Leticia Villaluz, who imparted some facts and datas for us to understand and become aware that HIV is more likely a secretly-spreading virus.  There are sixty (60) students who attended the symposium.

Dr. Villauz said that the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that infects cells of the immune system, destroying or impairing their function. As the infection progresses, the immune system becomes weaker, and the person becomes more susceptible to infections. The most advanced stage of HIV infection is acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It can take 10-15 years for an HIV-infected person to develop AIDS; antiretroviral drugs can slow down the process even further.

HIV is transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse (anal or vaginal), transfusion of contaminated blood, sharing of contaminated needles, and between a mother and her infant during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding.

 

As the old adage goes, “Prevention is better than cure.”