Staying Healthy in Child Care - National Health and Medical ...

HIV (Human immunodeficiency virus), AIDS
Description
HIV is a virus carried in blood and body fluids. It damages the immune system of the
person infected to the extent that the person becomes susceptible to a variety of
common and rare diseases. HIV infection is called AIDS (Acquired Immune
Deficiency Syndrome) when it becomes fully developed in the body. People with
AIDS contract repeated infections with unusual organisms and cancers that do not
normally affect people with healthy immune systems.
There is no evidence that HIV is spread from child to child in schools or child care
centres through normal social contact. HIV is not transmitted through air or water, the
sharing of plates, cups or cutlery, swimming pools or toilets, kissing, coughing,
sneezing or spitting. There is no evidence that HIV can be spread by mosquitoes or
other biting insects, as the virus dies rapidly outside the human body.
HIV can be spread by:
• Unprotected sexual intercourse (anal or vaginal) with an infected person.
• Sharing of injecting drug equipment.
• Infection passing from mother to child just before or during birth, or through
breast milk. Approximately 30% 115 of children born to infected mothers will
themselves become infected due to transmission of HIV before, during, or
soon after birth. In a small number of cases, the disease is transmitted to the
child through the mother’s breast milk.
• Penetration of the skin by infected blood.
Incubation period
Variable. The time from infection to development of detectable antibodies is generally
1 – 3 months 116 . Symptoms of the disease may not be evident for months or even
years after HIV infection. In adults, an illness like glandular fever occurs a month or
so after infection in about 50% of people. Without treatment, most individuals
develop severe immune deficiency within 5 - 10 years. 117
Infectious period
People become infectious about 2 - 4 weeks after picking up the HIV virus. A blood
test for antibodies to the virus will show whether a person has been in contact with
and become infected by the HIV virus. At the moment HIV infection is lifelong. To
date, there have been no reported cases of infection with the virus through ordinary
social contact, through involvement with schools, pre-schools or child care centres, or
through ordinary nonsexual family contact.
Exclusion Period
Exclusion is not necessary.
Children who have developed impairment of immunity should remain away from
school during outbreaks of serious contagious diseases such as measles or
chickenpox. Children with HIV are more susceptible to such infections.
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Draft for Public Consultation