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With December 1 as World Aids Day, knowledge about the disease is promoted as the number one way of controlling and preventing this terrible disease. Every year thousands of people are diagnosed with AIDS-there is about 4,500 of them in Canada alone diagnosed with HIV. HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus and it is the virus that actually causes AIDS.

AIDS is basically a very advanced stage of an HIV infection. The length of time between infection and the progression of the virus into AIDS is very different but most people infected with HIV develop signs of HIV-related illness within five to 10 years. AIDS is a very serious virus and kills many people each year. The sad thing is that HIV is a preventable disease. One person transmits HIV infection to another when his infected semen, vaginal secretions or his or her blood comes into contact with an uninfected person&undefined;s broken skin or mucous membranes such as the mouth, eyes, nose, vagina, rectum, or penis opening. The most common ways that HIV is spread is having unprotected sex with someone, sharing a needle with someone, coming into contact with the blood of someone who is infected, and also women can give their children HIV during childbirth or breastfeeding. There are no documented cases of HIV being transmitted through tears or saliva but it can be spread through oral sex and rarely, deep kissing. If you have engaged in one of these activities with someone you know is infected, have suspicion is infected, or with anyone other than your monogomous partner you should get an HIV test at the doctor. Most people do not know that they are infected and keep spreading the disease to others. The virus will mutiply in your body for weeks or even months before your immune system starts to deplete.

The widespread outbreak of HIV since the 1980&undefined;s is not only sad but scary. These days you never know that the person you are sleeping with is clean and your health is never really safe unless you use protection. It is essential to use condoms when having sex except for in the case of a monogamous relationship with one partner.