AIDS Update 2000

AIDS is a world-wide pandemic. During the past two decades, more manpower and money has been poured into HIV and AIDS research than into any other disease in history. As we near the twenty-first century, it is hoped that our effort will pay off and we will be successful in eradicating this disease. We are continually being bombarded with new theories and courses of treatment, while the public awareness of the disease continually evolves and changes. It is important, nay essential, to understand where we have been in order to understand where we are going with this disease in the new millennium. However, keeping up the interpreting this information is extremely difficult. AIDS UPDATE 2000 presents a balanced review of the latest information and most important aspects of HIV infection, HIV disease, and the acquired immune deficiency syndrome. More importantly, AIDS UPDATE 2000 places this information within a biological, medical, social, and legal framework so we can more fully understand this devastating modern-day epidemic. Author Gerald J. Stine answers the most common questions people have about AIDS and how it affects their immune system, including: * how the immune system responds to the HIV disease * possible origins of the virus * how HIV is transmitted * who is most likely to become infected, and why * possible means of prevention * FDA approved and non-approved therapies in use and their effectiveness * the potential for a vaccine * tests available to detect HIV infection, their accuracy, cost, availability, and problems of counseling and confidentiality