Heterosexual transmission is the dominant form of HIV transmission in the developing world. Mother-to-child transmission is also more common than in industrialized countries, and can occur through breast milk. Women and children have the highest risk of infection due to factors like anemia during pregnancy and childbirth. The social impacts of AIDS in the developing world include millions of orphaned children by 2000 and increased mortality rates. Environmental impacts occur through increased poverty, food insecurity, and strain on resources from households affected by AIDS. The economic and political impacts are lower labor output, decreased productivity, lower tax revenues, and increased healthcare costs. Abstinence, condoms, and safe medical practices can help reduce transmission when used correctly.

1. AIDS in the Developing World

2. Development Heterosexual transmission is dominant form in developing world Mother-to-child transmission much more common than in industrialized nations - Can be transmitted in breast milk - Roughly 42% of mothers pass on the disease to child Homosexual transmission relatively common in Southeast Asia, South America, & Central America - Rare in Africa HIV/AIDS can also be spread from intravenous drug use and contaminated blood

3. Who develops it? Women and children have highest risk Due to anemia or hemorrhage during pregnancy/childbirth. Malarial anemia Most develop HIV-1 HIV-2 does occur, but rare outside of West Africa

4. Signs of disease Major signs - Weight loss - More than 10% of body weight - Chronic diarrhea - Longer than one month - Prolonged fever - Longer than one month Minor signs - Persistent cough - Generalized pruntic dermatitis - Chronic progressive herpes Pruntic dermatitis

5. Impact of AIDS Social impact By 2000, more than 10 million children orphaned 5 million annual deaths by 2010 Increased childhood mortality Will heighten cultural discrepancies between people of rural & urban areas Cause new developments in long term behavioral and cultural norms Will further urbanization and total population growth

6. Environmental Impact Resource scarcity causes greater poverty in resource-dependent areas - Greater poverty heightens risk for infection -Particularly in women & girls, due to prostitution - Can lead to food insecurity and malnourishment Households devastated by the disease are more likely to use firewood rather than electricity - Places greater strain on environment - Causes more land degradation

7. Economic & Political Impact Labor - High mortality rates will affect amount of available labor -Can lead to lower output of goods and lower GDP - Disease can affect highly skilled workers - Lowers productivity & quality of labor Incomes - Families will have lower incomes due to deaths or inability to work - Will affect productivity and well-being of the economy Government finances - Increased mortality rates will lower tax revenue and increase spending on health care - High number of orphans will place demand on government to find homes

8. What Can Be Done? Abstinence - Fewer sex partners effective too Condoms - Must be effective - Sexually active people must use them - However, must be truthful about condoms to citizens Medical - Keep health care safe & sterile to reduce possibility

9. Bibliography &quot;AIDS- The Economic Impact.&quot; Mind Your Business (2005). Web. 6 Oct 2009. <http://www.bized.co.uk/current/mind/2004_5/140205.htm>. Grant, Alison D., and Kevin M. De Cock. &quot;ABC of AIDS: HIV Infection & AIDS in the Developing World.&quot; British Medical Journal 332 (2001): 1475-1478. Web. 5 Oct 2009. <http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/322/7300/1475>. Hearst, Norman, and Sanny Chen. &quot;Condom Promotion for AIDS Prevention in the Developing World: Is It Working?&quot; Population Council 35.1 (2004): 39-47. Web. 5 Oct 2009. <http://www.jstor.org/stable/3181160?seq=1>. Hunter, Lori M. &quot;HIV/AIDS and the Natural Environment.&quot; Population Reference Bureau . Web. 5 Oct 2009. <http://www.prb.org/Articles/2006/HIVAIDSandtheNaturalEnvironment.aspx>. Mann, Johnathon M. , D. Tarantola, and Thomas W. Netter. AIDS in the World . President & Fellows of Harvard College, 1992. Print.