Economic Report of the President

in healthy adults). HIV-infected individuals with higher CD-4 counts can alsobe diagnosed with AIDS if they develop one of several types of opportunisticinfections or cancers associated with severely compromised immune systems.The symptoms and signs of opportunistic infections common in peoplewith AIDS can be highly debilitating. Many individuals who have progressedto an AIDS diagnosis find it difficult to work or perform basic householdchores, and as the immune system continues to deteriorate, these effectsgenerally worsen. Studies in Western countries have found that the mediantime it takes for an untreated HIV infection to progress to AIDS is about10–12 years, though the amount of time varies widely across patients. If leftuntreated, the majority of patients will die within one year of the progressionfrom HIV infection to full-blown AIDS.Because no vaccine is available, the primary way to prevent HIV is throughthe avoidance of behaviors that put a person at risk of contracting the infection.HIV is not spread through casual contact. The virus is most commonlyspread through unprotected sex with an infected partner, but it can also bespread through contact with infected blood. Mothers can transmit HIV totheir babies during pregnancy, birth, or through breast milk while nursing. Inthe case of mother-to-child transmission at birth, the administration of certaindrugs during labor can greatly reduce the likelihood of infecting the newborn.158 | Economic Report of the President