2 Answers

Here you go:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HIV

HIV means 'human immunodeficiency virus'. 

This is the virus that causes AIDS.

HIV first emerged as a threat to humanity in the early 1980s. It spread so fast that initially there were fears that it might wipe us all out. Happily, there now seems no danger of that.

However, in 2010 the worldwide situation is this.

• About 34 million people have HIV.


• Around half of these are women.


• Over two million children have the virus.


• Each year, about 2.7 million people catch HIV.

In some countries, particularly those located in Sub-Saharan Africa, the HIV rates are very high. For instance, in the Republic of South Africa it's estimated that about 11 per cent of the population is HIV-positive.

see: http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/hiv_aids.htm 

On a personal note, understanding HIV/AIDS is important to everyone. I bet you know someone that has the HIV virus and you may or may not know it. At any rate, education about the virus is vital to combating it. Thanks for the question and I can only hope that everyone has concern for this horrible disease. Watching someone lose the battle is heart wrenching and no one should ever have to endure this nightmare. Alan