{AIDS} is now world-wide. There's no vaccine & no cure. It's caused by a {virus} called {HIV}. Those infected by the virus are at risk of developing AIDS. Even those who do not develop AIDS are thought to remain infected & infectious all their lives. You cannot catch the virus from everyday contact or mosquitoes (or other insect bites) or from swimming pools, food, crockery, & so on.
The 2 main ways of catching the {virus} are:
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having sex with an infected person
if blood contaminated by the virus gets into your body
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People can be infectious to others even if they look & feel completely well. They may not even know they have the virus.
On your travels it makes sense to protect yourself:
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do not have sex with anyone other than your usual partner
if you have sex with someone else, always use a {condom}
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Take a supply with you if you think you may need them, they may not be easily available or of good quality in some countries. Prostitutes are infected in some countries.
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Do not inject illegal drugs. In some parts of the world, the sharing of infected needles & equipment is a major cause of the spread of the {virus}.
!i! If you must inject, never share needles.
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!n! In some countries, blood for transfusion isn't screened for the presence of the virus. But there may be arrangements for obtaining screened blood. Additionally, needles & other equipment may not be adequately {sterilized}.
