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HIV/AIDS
General Information
What is HIV/AIDS?
HIV is a sexually transmitted disease (STD). It is the Human
Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS.
HIV weakens the immune system and allows certain infections
and cancers to take hold. When this happens, the person develops
AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). A syndrome is a group
of symptoms, which is why AIDS doesn't make everyone sick in
the same way. There are basically four different types of illness
that people may get when they have AIDS - cancer, fungus, pneumonia
and viral infections.
A person infected with HIV (HIV positive) carries the virus
for the rest of their lives. The virus is carried primarily in
their blood and semen or vaginal fluids.
To date, there is no cure for HIV, though there are drugs
that can help treat the symptoms and illnesses associated with
it.
AIDS ultimately causes death.
HIV/AIDS is a worldwide epidemic.
HIV/AIDS does not discriminate. It affects people of all
ages, genders, sexual orientations, and races.
How is it Spread?
During sex with a person, male or female, who has HIV. This
includes vaginal, anal, or oral sex.
By sharing needles with a person who has HIV. This includes
shooting drugs or steriods, or getting a tattoo with a used needle.
Direct blood to blood contact, such as blood from a person
with HIV entering the bloodstream of another person through an
open cut.
From an infected mother to her baby. This can happen before
and during birth, as well as after birth through breast-feeding.
Prior to 1985, some people were exposed to HIV from blood
transfusions. Since 1985, the blood supply has been tested for
HIV. There is no risk to giving blood.
HIV is not transmitted through casual contact, such as touching
someone with AIDS, sharing food, swimming in pools or hot tubs
or using public facilities. There are no known cases of HIV transmitted
by casual contact. Mosquitoes do not transmit HIV.
What Are the Symptoms?
The symptoms are swollen lymph glands, fever, night sweats,
severe fatigue, weight loss, white spots in the mouth, and diarrhea.
It is very important to note that a person infected with
HIV can look and feel fine. An infected person may have no idea
that (s)he has HIV. You can not tell by looking at someone whether
or not (s)he is infected with HIV.
How is HIV/AIDS Diagnosed?
HIV is diagnosed through a blood test. There is no test for
AIDS. There is a test to see if someone has antibodies for HIV
in their body. If they test negative to the antibodies, they
are said to be "seronegative", or "HIV negative".
If they test positive for the antibodies, they are said to be "seropositive",
or "HIV positive".
People who are seronegative may have the virus, but have
not yet developed antibodies. Doctors estimate that the time
from infection with the virus to antibody development may range
from weeks to months. This concept is complicated, but it demonstrates
how difficult it is to know if a partner is not infected, or "safe".
Being seropositive, or HIV positive, is different from having
AIDS. We do not know yet how many people who are infected with
HIV will become sick with AIDS. Some experts think all people
infected with HIV will eventually become sick with AIDS.
HIV Infection and Other STDs: What is the Difference?
Same
- Infected person may not know (s)he is infected and in turn
infects others.
- Spread through sexual intercourse.
- Can reduce risk by abstaining or using condoms.
- Affects all groups of people.
- Can be avoided by abstinence or safer sex.
Different
- Usually fatal after 3 symptoms appear.
- HIV can be spread by exchange of blood.
- Currently there is no cure for HIV.
HIV/AIDS: Myths vs. Reality
| Myth |
HIV or AIDS can be cured. |
| Reality |
To date, there is no cure for HIV or AIDS and there are no
vaccines to prevent HIV infection. |
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| Myth |
HIV/AIDS is a gay disease. |
| Reality |
Anyone can be susceptible to HIV/AIDS, regardless of their
sexual orientation. Everyone is at risk of getting HIV from blood-to-blood contact,
sharing needles or unsafe sex. Worldwide, HIV is spread most often through heterosexual
contact. |
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| Myth |
You can get HIV from breathing the air around an HlV-infected
person or from hugging or holding hands with an HlV-infected person. |
| Reality |
HIV cannot be transmitted through...
- toilet seats or door-knob handles.
- touching, hugging, holding hands, or cheek kissing with an HlV-infected person.
- sharing eating utensils with an HlV-infected person.
- mosquito bites.
HIV is transmitted through contact with an HlV-positive person's
infected body fluids, such as semen, pre-ejaculate fluid, vaginal fluids, blood,
or breast milk. HIV can also be transmitted through needles contaminated with
HlV-infected blood, including needles used for injecting drugs, tattooing or body
piercing.
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| Myth |
I can get HIV by sharing exercise equipment or playing sports
with an HlV-positive person. |
| Reality |
Contact with sweat or tears has never been shown to result
in transmission of HIV. |
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| Myth |
You can get HIV by kissing an HlV-infected person. |
| Reality |
Casual contact through closed-mouth or "social"
kissing is not a risk for transmission of HIV. Because of the theoretical potential
for contact with blood during "French" or open-mouthed kissing, the
CDC recommends against engaging in this activity with an infected person. However,
no cases of AIDS have been attributed to any kind of kissing. |
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| Myth |
You cannot get HIV if you are using birth control methods
like diaphragms, cervical caps, sponges, spermicides, DepoProvera, Norplant, or
the Pill. |
| Reality |
These birth control methods do not prevent the transmission
of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) such as HIV. They only aim to prevent pregnancy.
The surest way to prevent both pregnancy and an STD infection is through abstinence.
One way people who are sexually active may prevent pregnancy and STD infection
is to use a condom in combination with another form of birth control, such as
a diaphragm, cervical cap, sponge, spermicide, DepoProvera, Norplant, or the Pill.
Birth control products containing the spermicide nonoxynol-9 (found in most contraceptive
creams, gels, suppositories, foams, films and sponges) help to prevent pregnancy
but may increase the risk of HIV. |
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| Myth |
I can't have more than one sexually transmitted disease
(STD) at a time. |
| Reality |
A person can be infected with more than one STD. A person
with an untreated STD may also be 6-10 times more likely to pass on or acquire
HIV during sex. Risk for infection increases 10 to 300-fold in the presence of
a genital ulcer, such as occurs in syphilis or genital herpes. |
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| Myth |
There is no such thing as safer sex. |
| Reality |
Safer sex is sexual activity without penetration, or sex
with a latex condom or a latex barrier (in the case of oral sex). Although safer
sex can substantially reduce the sexual transmission of an STD like HIV, sexual
abstinence is the surest way to prevent the sexual transmission of an STD, including
HIV. |
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| Myth |
Since I only have oral sex, I'm not at risk for HIV/AIDS. |
| Reality |
You can get HIV by having oral sex with a man or a woman.
That is why it is important to use a latex barrier during oral, vaginal, or anal
sex. |
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| Myth |
I would know if a loved one or I had HIV. |
| Reality |
A person with HIV may not show any symptoms for up to 10
years. Since HIV affects each person differently, many people with HIV can look
and feel healthy for years. The only sure way to know is to get tested. |
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| Myth |
Getting tested for HIV is pointless. |
| Reality |
Knowing if you are HlV-positive will allow you to seek early
treatment that can help you stay healthy longer and enable you not to pass on
the virus to someone else. Regardless of your HIV status, you can learn how to
prevent future infection from HIV or other STDs through counseling offered at
many HIV testing centers. |
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| Myth |
When you're on HIV therapy you can't transmit the virus to
anyone else. |
| Reality |
Antiretroviral drugs don't keep you from passing the virus
to others. Therapy can keep the viral load down to undetectable levels, but HIV
is still present in the body and can still be transmitted to others. |
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