World AIDS Day: Together Towards Ending the Epidemic
December 1st serves as a reminder of the importance of awareness, prevention, and collective action against HIV.
World AIDS Day every year on December 1st, serves as a reminder of the importance of awareness, prevention, and collective action against HIV.
What are HIV and AIDS?
HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system, gradually destroying CD4+ T lymphocytes. A severe reduction of these cells significantly weakens the body’s defenses and can lead to AIDS, the advanced stage of the infection.
When CD4+ T lymphocytes fall below 200/mm³, the immune system is considered severely weakened, even if no obvious infections are present.
Symptoms and Stages of Infection
Acute Infection (2–6 weeks after exposure)
Fever, fatigue, headache, sore throat, lymphadenopathy.
In some patients, symptoms may be mild or even absent.
Asymptomatic Phase
Lasts up to 10 years or more.
HIV slowly destroys CD4+ T lymphocytes without obvious symptoms.
AIDS (Advanced Stage)
Low CD4+ count (<200/mm³).
Symptoms: fever, fatigue, weight loss, myalgia, diarrhea, skin rashes, oral/esophageal fungal infections, herpes infections.
HIV Transmission
HIV is transmitted through specific body fluids (blood, semen, vaginal/rectal fluids, and breast milk), mainly through:
Unprotected sexual contact
Sharing contaminated sharp objects
From mother to child
It is not transmitted through casual social contact, shared food, or insects.
Diagnosis
Detection of HIV antibodies in the blood.
PCR for detecting the virus’s genetic material (RNA).
Rapid tests using a small amount of blood or saliva (laboratory confirmation required).
Treatment/Prevention
HIV treatment is carried out with a combination of antiretroviral drugs (HAART), which prevent the virus from multiplying and slow the progression of the disease, allowing patients to live with HIV as a chronic condition.
Prevention is based on consistent condom use, avoiding the sharing of sharp objects, regular testing for HIV/STIs, and public education aimed at reducing social stigma.
Epidemiological Data
Greece:
In 2025, 526 new HIV cases were diagnosed and reported, of which 420 (79.9%) were men and 106 (20.1%) were women.
Among the new HIV diagnoses: 37.3% were transmitted through sexual contact between men, 14.4% through heterosexual sexual contact, 12.6% through sharing intravenous drugs, 35.7% of cases had an undetermined mode of transmission.
By October 31, 2025, a total of 21,815 cases had been diagnosed in Greece (including AIDS cases). Of these, 82% were men.
At BioARS Therapeutics, we support every effort to raise awareness, promote prevention, and eliminate the stigma surrounding HIV.
World AIDS Day is an opportunity to remember that the fight is not over — but together, we can move closer to the goal of ending the epidemic by 2030.