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AcquiredImmuneDeficiencySyndrome

AIDS (or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), is one of the leading causes of death in our world today.

What Is AIDS?

AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome:

* Acquired means you can get infected with it; * Immune Deficiency? means a weakness in the body's system that fights diseases. * Syndrome means a group of health problems that make up a disease.

AIDS is caused by a virus called HIV, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus?. If you get infected with HIV, your body will try to fight the infection. It will make "antibodies?", special molecules that are supposed to fight HIV. ¹

It's too big... I can't help

Some people don't think that they can make a difference, but Richard Callahan? is working with the Student Global AIDS Campaign which has garnered tremendous clout in the past year. By encouraging presidential candidates? and large companies to sign on, they now have been promised that billions of dollars? will be earmarked to fight AIDS around the world.

Resources

• http://www.aids.org
• http://www.stopglobalaids.org/
• http://www.fightglobalaids.org/ ( also see Student Global AIDS Campaign )

¹ -- ( from http://www.aids.org/factSheets/101-what-is-aids.html )

RobinsonTryon - 04 Mar 2003