HIV/AIDS disease

The human immunodeficiency virus HIV is a lentivirus a subgroup of retrovirus that causes the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome AIDS a condition in humans in which progressive failure of the immune system allows life-threateningopportunistic infections and cancers to thrive. Without treatment, average survival time after infection with HIV is estimated to be 9 to 11 years, depending on the HIV subtype.

 Many HIV-positive people are unaware that they are infected with the virus.For example, in 2001 less than 1% of the sexually active urban population in Africa had been tested, and this proportion is even lower in rural populations.Furthermore, in 2001 only 0.5% of pregnant women attending urban health facilities were counselled, tested or receive their test results.Again, this proportion is even lower in rural health facilities.Since donors may therefore be unaware of their infection, donor blood and blood products used in medicine and medical research are routinely screened for HIV.