The newly crowned Miss Universe 2011, Miss Angola Leila Lopes, hopes to push for several causes, especially the fight against HIV, which has yet to be abated in Africa and is now raging in Asia.

"I've worked with various social causes. I work with poor kids, I work in the fight against HIV. I work to protect the elderly and I have to do everything that my country needs,” Lopes said.

She believes that she can do so much more as Miss Universe 2011.

HIV Cases: Why Do People Need To Pay Attention?

HIV is one of the leading causes of mortality all over the world. According to 2009 statistics, about 33.3 million people all over the world are infected with the killer virus. Of those, 15.9 million are women and 2.5 million are children. The number of people killed by HIV in 2009 was estimated to be 16.6 million. And the number of cases continues to grow despite numerous programs created against this disease.

HIV often does not show early signs and symptoms, so people may not get early care. Right after infection, the patient may experience flu-like symptoms which may not catch his attention.

Other early symptoms may include headache, diarrhea, enlarged liver or spleen, muscle pain, vomiting, rash on the abdomen, sore throat and neurological symptoms. But they normally disappear after the first month which makes the infected person thinks that he just had a simple viral infection.

Then, no signs and symptoms can be observed for eight or more years. When the immune system is already weak, that’s the time when complications may occur. The first sign of infection seen on HIV patients are enlarged lymph nodes or swollen glands that may last for three months.

Symptoms may also be experienced before the onset of AIDS like weight loss, short-term memory loss, lack of energy, fever and sweats, herpes infections and pelvic inflammatory disease in women. Some may also have shingles which is a painful nerve disease with blisters and rashes.

On the other hand, children born with HIV may show signs by age two.