How common is HIV/AIDS?
In the United States, nearly 930,000 cases of AIDS have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). About 40,000 women and men get HIV each year in the U.S. HIV/AIDS is serious worldwide problem as it can lead to death. In South Asia, about six million people were living with HIV/AIDS as of the year 2005.
Currently, there is very little information on the number South Asians in the United States that are experiencing STIs. Information that is available shows that STIs are a health concern for all communities, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, education, income, culture, or religion. It is important to note that shame, stigma, and fear surrounding STIs make communities, including South Asians, particularly vulnerable as it prevents people from getting informed, tested, and treated. It also keeps people from speaking openly and honestly to their doctors and partners.
For information on STIs and South Asian communities, read about the research that is available.
What are the symptoms?
Many people do not develop any symptoms when they first become infected with HIV. Some people get a flu-like illness within three to six weeks after exposure to the virus. These symptoms can include fever, headache, tiredness, nausea, diarrhea and/or enlarged lymph nodes.
The immune system weakens as the virus spreads, which can take anywhere from a few months to more than ten years and varies among individuals. Once the immune system weakens, a person may feel a lack of energy, weight loss, frequent fevers and sweats, persistent or frequent yeast infections, persistent skin rashes or flaky skin, short-term memory loss, as well as herpes sores in the mouth, genital, or anal area.
Left untreated, the infection develops in to its most advanced stage, categorized as AIDS. Symptoms include cough and shortness of breath, seizures and lack of coordination, difficult or painful swallowing, mental symptoms such as confusion and forgetfulness, severe and persistent diarrhea, fever, vision loss, nausea, abdominal cramps, vomiting, weight loss and extreme fatigue, and severe headaches with neck stiffness or coma.