What do you know about AIDS?

what is it?
how does it work?
how does it effect people?
what cures if any have been tried or found?

There's a lot to know about AIDS, but I'll just tell you the basics. AIDS is caused by the HIV virus. HIV is a retrovirus, which means it works a little differently than regular viruses. Basically when HIV enters the body, it enters a cell. It goes into the nucleus of the cell (where the DNA is stored) and makes copies of itself. When the cell dies naturally, it ruptures and releases the virus into the body once again. Because it has replicated, there are many more copies of the virus. Each one of these copies goes to a new cell and ifects it. This is why it can't be cured... it hides out in our body's own cells, so our body really doesn't even know it's there. Eventually, it will destroy the the T-cells, which control immune response. Without T-cells, out body is left defensless against things that a person without HIV can defend their body against. For example, there is a type of pnemonia called Pneumocystic caranii. The microorganism that causes it is found in bird feces. In a normal body, the T-cells respond to the pathogen, and we don't get sick. But for someone without T-cells to kill off the pathogen it can be deadly. In the beginning stages of HIV infection, very few symptoms are displayed. HIV is considered to be AIDS when the T-cell count drops below 200. There is no cure for AIDS, but there are some wonderful drugs out now that are allowing people to live for decades with the disease. There are several types and they all work on different parts of the cell and virus to inhibit viral replication. They are most effective when several types are taken together.... hence the term AIDS cocktails. Many people opt not to take these cocktails because they have side effects that can be difficult to deal with.
I know a lot more about the disease... if you have any specific questions or need clarification, feel free to e-mail me...

There is no cure. It's starts out as HIV. It's terminal and eats away your immune system. Pneumonia is usually the main cause of death. A person wastes away and becomes skeletal and infantile. It is painful to watch.

Initially it was a homosexual male disease but it infected others from bi-sexual encounters, blood donations, sharing infected needles etc. There are many "treatments" for the symptoms but as yet nothing is 100%.

Your best bet is to not put yourself into the position of getting infected. It's a slow suicide just like smoking cigarettes.