| The human immunodeficiency virus, commonly called HIV-AIDS, or "slim disease", is a retrovirus which destroys the immune system and ultimately kills. As viruses go, HIV-AIDS is not especially infectious (it requires infection with internal body fluids e.g. from a needle) but it is ultimately very deadly, after a period which can stretch to about ten years (in the absence of medical intervention). Death is slow and unpleasant, with severe weight loss and intestinal malabsorption common symptoms.
In parts of the world (especially Africa but increasingly Eastern Europe) the infection rate with HIV-AIDS amongst adults is high (in places more than 50%) and the young adult population is being killed off leaving children to care for themselves, or sometimes be cared for by grandparents. Often the children are also infected, making life for their siblings even worse.
Sources:
Aids Children |