Support women in science at Burnet Institute
Donate today to support women in science at Burnet and their work to unlock the vaginal microbiome and reduce risk of HIV infection and preterm birth for women around the world.
Donate today to support women in science at Burnet and their work to unlock the vaginal microbiome and reduce risk of HIV infection and preterm birth for women around the world.
HIV is a major focus at Burnet, with work on laboratory-based research into a cure, and on public health programs focused on education and prevention in Australia and overseas.
According to the UNAIDS, almost 38 million people live with HIV.
In 2020, there were 1.5 million new HIV infections and around 680,000 deaths from AIDS-related illnesses.
The COVID-19 lockdowns and other restrictions disrupted HIV testing and in many countries, lead to steep drops in diagnoses and referrals to HIV treatment.
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infects cells of the immune system, causing it to become weak and making it more susceptible to infections. HIV is generally spread through unprotected sexual intercourse or contaminated blood but can also be spread from mother to child during pregnancy. There is no cure for HIV.
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is the most advanced stage of HIV infection. It can take 10 - 15 years for a HIV-infected person to develop AIDS but antiretroviral (ARV) drugs have made a huge difference in slowing or halting the progression to AIDS.
Service coverage is gradually increasing. In 2018, 62 per cent of adults and 54 per cent of children living with HIV in low and middle income countries were receiving lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART).
World AIDS Day, held annually on 1 December, is an opportunity for people worldwide to support people living with HIV, and to commemorate those who have died.