HIV & AIDS Information [from the previous sticky]
HIV and AIDS InfoTaken from:
http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/1944.htmlThe extent of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and the devastating disease that it causes, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), remains a critical public health problem for the United States and for the planet. While new and complicated drug regimens have decreased the mortality rate due to this disease, infection rates in the United States have not declined further, and in fact are increasing in certain minority populations. In the US, over 750,000 people are infected with HIV and it is estimated that perhaps as many as another 250,000 may be infected, but remain unaware of their infection. Globally, at the end of the year 2000, over 36 million people are infected worldwide. Most troubling, over 10% of the newly infected people are children under the age of 15.
HIV/AIDS is a worldwide pandemic and complacency in combating this disease cannot be accepted. We are perpetually made aware of new treatments of increasing complexity, and new scientific theories concerning the virus are always being advanced. It is extremely important for the practicing physician to understand where we are going with this disease as it is one that is perpetually in the public eye. However, keeping up with this information is extremely difficult. The American Medical Association (AMA), through the use of this Web site, hopes to present updates of the latest HIV information, with the most important aspects of HIV infection, transmission, and treatment.
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Taken from:
http://www.thebody.com/basics.htmlFAQ:
http://www.thebody.com/whatis/faqs.html~
Taken from:
http://www.thebody.com/nmai/whatisaids.htmlThe BasicsWhat Does "AIDS" Mean?AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome:
Acquired means you can get infected with it.
Immune Deficiency means a weakness in the body's system that fights diseases.
Syndrome means a group of health problems that make up a disease.
AIDS is caused by a virus called HIV, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. If you get infected with HIV, your body will try to fight the infection. It will make "antibodies" -- special molecules to fight HIV.
A blood test for HIV looks for these antibodies. If you have them in your blood, it means that you have HIV infection. People who have the HIV antibodies are called "HIV-Positive." Fact Sheet 102 has more information on HIV testing.
Being HIV-positive, or having HIV disease, is not the same as having AIDS. Many people are HIV-positive but don't get sick for many years. As HIV disease continues, it slowly wears down the immune system. Viruses, parasites, fungi and bacteria that usually don't cause any problems can make you very sick if your immune system is damaged. These are called "opportunistic infections."
How Do You Get AIDS?You don't actually "get" AIDS. You might get infected with HIV, and later you might develop AIDS. You can get infected with HIV from anyone who's infected, even if they don't look sick and even if they haven't tested HIV-positive yet. The blood, vaginal fluid, semen, and breast milk of people infected with HIV has enough of the virus in it to infect other people. Most people get the HIV virus by:
- having sex with an infected person.
- sharing a needle (shooting drugs) with someone who's infected
- being born when their mother is infected, or drinking the breast milk of an infected woman.
- Getting a transfusion of infected blood used to be a way people got AIDS, but now the blood supply is screened very carefully and the risk is extremely low.
There are no documented cases of HIV being transmitted by tears or saliva, but it is possible to be infected with HIV through oral sex or in rare cases through deep kissing, especially if you have open sores in your mouth or bleeding gums.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 850,000 to 950,000 U.S. residents are living with HIV infection, one-quarter of whom are unaware of their infection. Almost 400,000 people are living with AIDS. Each year, there are about 40,000 new infections. Of these, about 70 percent are among men and 30 percent among women. Half of these newly infected people are younger than 25 years of age. In the mid-1990s, AIDS was a leading cause of death. However, newer treatments have cut the AIDS death rate significantly. For more information, see the U.S. Government fact sheet at www.niaid.nih.gov/factsheets/aidsstat.htm.
What Happens if I'm HIV Positive?You might not know if you get infected by HIV. Some people get fever, headache, sore muscles and joints, stomach ache, swollen lymph glands, or a skin rash for one or two weeks. Most people think it's the flu. Some people have no symptoms. Fact Sheet 103 has more information on the early stage of HIV infection.
The virus will multiply in your body for a few weeks or even months before your immune system responds. During this time, you won't test positive for HIV, but you can infect other people.
When your immune system responds, it starts to make antibodies. When this happens, you will test positive for HIV.
After the first flu-like symptoms, some people with HIV stay healthy for ten years or longer. But during this time, HIV is damaging your immune system.
One way to measure the damage to your immune system is to count your CD4+ cells. These cells, also called "T-helper" cells, are an important part of the immune system. Healthy people have between 500 and 1,500 CD4+ cells in a milliliter of blood. Fact Sheet 124 has more information on T-cells.
Without treatment, your CD4+ cell count will most likely go down. You might start having signs of HIV disease like fevers, night sweats, diarrhea, or swollen lymph nodes. If you have HIV disease, these problems will last more than a few days, and probably continue for several weeks.
How Do I Know if I Have AIDS?HIV disease becomes AIDS when your immune system is seriously damaged. If you have less than 200 CD4+ cells or if your CD4+ percentage is less than 14%, you have AIDS. See Fact Sheet 124 for more information on CD4+ cells. If you get an opportunistic infection, you have AIDS. There is an "official" list of opportunistic infections, put out by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The most common ones are:
- PCP (Pneumocystis pneumonia), a lung infection.
- KS (Kaposi's sarcoma), a skin cancer.
- CMV (Cytomegalovirus), an infection that usually affects the eyes, see Fact Sheet 504; and
- Candida, a fungal infection that can cause thrush (a white film in your mouth) or infections in your throat or v****a, see Fact Sheet 501.
AIDS-related diseases also include serious weight loss, brain tumors, and other health problems. Without treatment, these opportunistic infections can kill you. The official CDC definition of AIDS is available at
www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00018871.htm.
AIDS is different in every infected person. Some people die in a few months after getting infected, while others live fairly normal lives for many years, even after they "officially" have AIDS. A few HIV-positive people stay healthy for many years even without taking anti-HIV medications.
Is There a Cure for AIDS?There is no cure for AIDS. There are drugs that can slow down the HIV virus, and slow down the damage to your immune system. There is no way to "clear" HIV from the body.
Other drugs can prevent or treat opportunistic infections (OIs). In most cases, these drugs work very well. The newer, stronger anti-HIV drugs have also helped reduce the rates of most OIs. A few OIs, however, are still very difficult to treat.
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Taken from:
http://www.thebody.com/sfaf/stages.htmlHIV Is a ContinuumMost of us are used to thinking of disease in very simple terms: if you feel sick, you are sick; if you feel healthy, you are healthy. However, because HIV may be causing subtle changes in the immune system long before an infected person feels sick, most doctors have adopted the term "HIV Disease" to cover the entire HIV spectrum, from initial infection to full-blown AIDS (which can also be called "Advanced HIV Disease").
The continuum that follows and its stages are representative of the experience of many people with HIV. The time that it takes for each individual person to go through these stages is varied. For most people, however, the process of HIV disease is fairly slow, taking several years from infection to the development of severe immunodeficiency.
InfectionHIV enters the bloodstream and begins to take up residence in the cells. People with HIV are considered to be infectious immediately after infection with the virus. Although some studies suggest that the level of infectivity varies over time depending on the stage of the disease in which the person is, it is not possible for most HIV-infected people to find out what their level of infectivity is.
A person with HIV is infectious at all times. Also, a person does not need to have symptoms or look sick to have HIV. In fact, people may look perfectly healthy for many years despite the fact that they have HIV in their bodies. The only way to find out if a person is infected is by taking an HIV antibody test. Primary Infection (or Acute Infection)Primary HIV infection is the first stage of HIV disease, when the virus first establishes itself in the body. Some researchers use the term acute HIV infection to describe the period of time between when a person is first infected with HIV and when antibodies against the virus are produced by the body (usually 6-12 weeks). Within the first 72 hours after exposure, post-exposure prevention (PEP) may be possible.
Up to 70% of people newly infected with HIV will experience some "flu-like" symptoms. These symptoms, which usually last no more than a few days, might include fevers, chills, night sweats and rashes (not cold-like symptoms). The remaining percentage of people either do not experience "acute infection," or have symptoms so mild that they may not notice them.
Given the general character of the symptoms of acute infection, they can easily have causes other than HIV, such as a flu infection. For example, if you had some risk for HIV a few days ago and are now experiencing flu-like symptoms, it might be possible that HIV is responsible for the symptoms, but it is also possible that you have some other viral infection.
The important thing to do is call an AIDS hotline to discuss whether you were in a situation that put you at risk for HIV and whether you should consider taking an HIV test. Within California, you can call the California AIDS Hotline toll free at 1-800-367-AIDS. Outside California, call the CDC National AIDS Hotline toll free at 1-800-342-AIDS.
During acute HIV infection, the virus makes its way to the lymph nodes, a process which is believed to take three to five days. Then HIV actively reproduces and releases new virus particles into the bloodstream. This burst of rapid HIV replication usually lasts about two months. People at this stage often have a very high HIV "viral load." However, people with acute HIV infection usually will not test HIV antibody positive, since it takes the body approximately one to three months to produce antibodies against HIV.
Scientists disagree about whether anti-HIV treatment is useful during primary HIV infection, and there is little information from clinical trials. Most HIV specialists believe that early highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is useful, and that its benefits likely outweigh the disadvantages of no treatment.
Some doctors, like those at the Options Project at San Francisco General Hospital (1-415-502-8100), are treating newly HIV-infected people with a combination of anti-HIV drugs. While many researchers are optimistic about early anti-HIV treatment, they are also concerned about drug side effects, long-term effects and the possibility of developing drug-resistant virus if people use powerful anti-HIV drugs before they become ill due to HIV disease.
Some researchers think that if HIV replication can be slowed down early in the course of disease, it will take longer before a person develops AIDS. Several studies have shown that low blood viral load levels in the early stages of HIV disease are associated with less severe illness and slower disease progression. Some even think that it might be possible to eradicate, or completely kill off HIV, if treatment is started very early. So far, though, complete HIV eradication has not occurred, and most doctors recommend that anti-HIV treatment should be continued indefinitely once it is started.
SeroconversionThis term refers to the time when the body begins producing antibodies to the virus. About 95% of the people infected with HIV will develop antibodies within three months after infection. Nearly all people will develop antibodies within six months after infection.
Most people develop antibodies within three months and some can take up to six months. People who get tested need to wait at least three months for the test. If their first result is negative, they should come back for a second test three months later.
Immune System DeclineThe virus appears to slowly damage the immune system for a number of years after infection (perhaps because the body is able to keep it in check during this time). In most people, however, a faster decline of the immune system occurs at some point, and the virus rapidly replicates. This damage can be seen in blood tests, such as lowered T-cell counts, before any actual symptoms are experienced.
People who are HIV-positive should see a doctor to monitor their immune systems. By getting lab indicators (such as the viral load test) and observing how they are changing over time, they can get a better sense of whether HIV has already caused any damage to their immune systems. As mentioned above, a development in the last couple of years in the treatment of HIV disease is what doctors call "Early Intervention" or "Early Care." The principle behind this concept is that early rather than late medical care may give people better chances of survival and better quality of life. It is extremely important that people with HIV learn that they have to see a doctor even if they feel fine at the moment because the virus could be already damaging their immune systems.
Understanding that HIV Disease begins immediately after infection enables us to begin treating infected persons before symptoms appear. This important medical advance has significantly extended the lifespan -- and the hope -- of HIV-infected people.
The SFAF Web site offers a set of easy-to-understand summary sheets that explain all the latest AIDS treatments, including the "protease inhibitors" that have been widely discussed in the media.
Mild, Non-Specific SymptomsOnce the immune system is damaged, many people will begin to experience some mild symptoms (skin rashes, fatigue, slight weight loss, night sweats, thrush in the mouth, etc.). Most, though not all, will experience mild symptoms such as these before developing more serious illnesses. Although one's prognosis varies greatly depending on one's ability to access support, services and preventative treatment, it is generally believed that it takes the average person five to seven years to experience their first mild symptom.
These symptoms are not specific to AIDS. However, they should be of concern to people who have tested positive to HIV. Usually, symptoms occur when the virus has already caused considerable damage to the immune system. For that reason, people with HIV should not wait until symptoms appear to get medical treatment. Also, people with high risk for HIV should not wait to get symptoms to take the HIV-antibody test.
If you are a person with HIV experiencing any symptoms, we suggest that you have them checked by a health care worker.
More Severe Symptoms; Opportunistic Infections and DiseasesWhen immune system damage is more severe, people may experience opportunistic infections (called "opportunistic" because they are caused by organisms which cannot induce disease in people with normal immune systems, but take the "opportunity" to flourish in people with HIV). Most of these more severe infections, diseases and symptoms fall under the Centers for Disease Control's definition of full-blown "AIDS." In a San Francisco study of gay men, the median time to receive an AIDS diagnosis among HIV-infected men is 10-11 years. (Again, this statistic predates the advent of more powerful anti-HIV drugs.)
Receiving an AIDS diagnosis does not necessarily mean that the person will die soon. Some people have lived many years after their diagnosis. However, it is extremely important that people in this stage of HIV disease get adequate care for any symptoms or conditions that develop.
People with an AIDS diagnosis have coined the term "living with AIDS" to describe their experience. We prefer this term over others because it implies empowerment which may be crucial in maintaining a positive frame of mind and possibly even in surviving longer. As the term "HIV-disease" becomes more common, many people are also using the term "living with HIV" to refer to anyone who has the virus.
Does everyone who has HIV eventually get sick? Nobody knows.
Many researchers believe that, in some small percentage of people with HIV, the immune system may be able to defeat the virus. As existing treatments are used earlier in the course of HIV disease and new treatments are developed, these, too, will postpone, and possibly prevent, illness. Unfortunately, however, studies show that the majority of untreated people do eventually become ill from HIV. Long-term studies of San Francisco gay men infected with HIV between 1978 and 1980 have shown that by 1992, 85% had developed AIDS, and 15% remained symptom-free.
No one knows whether these men will eventually develop AIDS, or what percentage of the symptom-free men will develop AIDS in the years to come. Some long-term survivors may do so well because of their unique body chemistry, or access to a combination of medical, emotional and spiritual support, or something yet unknown to us. Others may find their health declining even with access to all of these things. We don't really know the answer yet, although you can be sure scientists and researchers are searching for the common thread that links long-term survivors together.
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Taken from:
http://www.thebody.com/hivatis/prevention.htmlUnderstanding HIV PreventionI Am HIV Positive and Don't Want to Infect Others. What Should I Do?Understanding how HIV is transmitted is an important step in prevention.
Talk with your doctor about how HIV is transmitted and what you can do to prevent infecting others. Each time you visit your doctor, discuss your high-risk behaviors, such as unprotected sex and needle sharing.
You may feel reluctant to talk with your doctor about your high-risk behaviors. It can be difficult to change behaviors, even when you want to. However, it is important to be honest with your doctor about risky activities. You and your doctor can then discuss ways to minimize the risk of infecting others.
If you are a woman, you and your doctor should discuss ways to prevent pregnancy. If you want to become pregnant, you and your doctor can talk about what you should do to prevent transmitting HIV to your baby.
How Can I Prevent Infecting Someone Else?Successful HIV treatment can lower your viral load, which may reduce the risk of HIV transmission. But there are other factors that influence sexual transmission of HIV, such as:
- presence of other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs)
- genital irritation
- menstruation
- lack of circumcision in men
- taking birth control pills
- hormone imbalances
- vitamin and mineral deficiencies
Always use prevention strategies, such as condoms and safer sex practices. If you inject drugs, don't share your works with anyone else. Talk with your doctor if you have trouble sticking to these prevention strategies. You and your doctor can then find ways to make your high-risk behaviors safer.
Should I Tell My Partners That I Am HIV Infected?Yes. It is very important that you tell your sexual partners and people with whom you have shared injected drugs that they may have been exposed to HIV and should be tested. You and your doctor can discuss the best way to notify your partners. Some health departments and HIV clinics have anonymous partner notification systems -- your partners are told that they have been exposed, but are not told who reported their names or when the reported exposures occurred.
I Am Taking Anti-HIV Medications and My Viral Load Is Undetectable. Am I Cured? Can I Infect Others?An undetectable viral load does not mean that you are cured. It means that the amount of HIV virus in your blood is so low that the viral load tests cannot detect it. You are still infected with HIV and can infect others. You should continue to use prevention strategies and should see your doctor regularly.
For more information:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Prevention Information Network (NPIN) provides information about prevention of HIV infections, other sexually transmitted diseases, and tuberculosis.
If you have questions about ways to prevent transmitting HIV, contact your doctor or a CDC NPIN Information Specialist at 1-800-458-5231 or
http://cdcnpin.org. This information is based on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Incorporating HIV Prevention into the Medical Care of Persons Living with HIV (available at http://aidsinfo.nih.gov).
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HIV Prevention and Transmission FAQ List:
http://www.thebody.com/cdc/faq/transmission.html~
Taken from:
http://www.thebody.com/nmai/testing.htmlHIV TestingWhat Is HIV Testing?HIV testing tells you if you are infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) which causes AIDS. These tests look for "antibodies" to HIV. Antibodies are proteins produced by the immune system to fight a specific germ.
Other "HIV" tests are used when people already know they are infected with HIV. These measure how quickly the virus is multiplying or the health of your immune system.
How Do I Get Tested?You can arrange for HIV testing at any Public Health office, or at your doctor's office. Test results are usually available within two weeks. In New Mexico, call the AIDS Hotline at 1-800-545-2437 to find a test site. In other states, call the National AIDS Hotline, 1-800-342-2437.
The most common HIV test is a blood test. Newer tests can detect HIV antibodies in mouth fluid (not the same as saliva), a scraping from inside the cheek, or urine. "Rapid" HIV tests were approved in November 2002 and December 2003. Rapid test results are available within 10 to 30 minutes after a sample is taken. A positive result on any HIV test should be confirmed with a second test.
Home test kits: You can't test yourself for HIV at home. The "Home Access" test kit is only designed to collect a sample of your blood. You send the sample to a laboratory where it is tested for HIV.
When Should I Get Tested?If you become infected with HIV, it usually takes between three weeks and two months for your immune system to produce antibodies to HIV. If you think you were exposed to HIV, you should wait for two months before being tested. You can also test right away and then again after two or three months. During this "window period" an antibody test will give a negative result, but you can transmit the virus to others if you are infected.
About 5% of people take longer than two months to produce antibodies. There is one documented case of a person exposed to HIV and hepatitis C at the same time. Antibodies to HIV were not detected until one year after exposure. Testing at 3 and 6 months after possible exposure will detect almost all HIV infections. However, there are no guarantees as to when an individual will produce enough antibodies to be detected by an HIV test. If you have any unexplained symptoms, talk with your health care provider and consider re-testing for HIV.
Do Any Tests Work Sooner After Infection?Viral load tests detect pieces of HIV genetic material. They show up before the immune system manufactures antibodies. Also, in early 2002, the FDA approved "nucleic acid testing." It is similar to viral load testing. Blood banks use it to screen donated blood.
The viral load or nucleic acid tests are generally not used to see if someone has been infected with HIV because they are much more expensive than an antibody test. They also have a slightly higher error rate.
What Does It Mean if I Test Positive?A positive test result means that you have HIV antibodies, and are infected with HIV. You will get your test result from a counselor who should tell you what to expect, and where to get health services and emotional support.
Testing positive does not mean that you have AIDS. Many people who test positive stay healthy for several years, even if they don't start taking medication right away.
If you test negative and you have not been exposed to HIV for at least three months, you are not infected with HIV. Continue to protect yourself from HIV infection.
Can I Keep the Test Result Confidential?You can be tested anonymously in New Mexico. You do not have to give your name when you are tested at a public health office, or when you receive the test results. You can be tested anonymously for HIV as many times as you want.
If you get a positive HIV test that is not anonymous, or if you get any medical services for HIV infection in New Mexico, your name will be reported to the Department of Health. See Fact Sheet 801 for more information on HIV reporting in New Mexico.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) proposed in late 1998 that all states keep track of the names of HIV-infected people. This proposal has not yet taken effect.
How Accurate Are the Tests?Antibody test results for HIV are accurate more than 99.5% of the time. Before you get the results, the test has usually been done two or more times. The first test is called an "EIA" or "ELISA" test. Before a positive ELISA test result is reported, it is confirmed by another test called a "Western Blot."
Two special cases can give false results:
Children born to HIV-positive mothers may have false positive test results for several months because mothers pass infection-fighting antibodies to their newborn children. Even if the children are not infected, they have HIV antibodies and will test positive. Other tests, such as a viral load test, must be used.
As mentioned above, people who were recently infected may test negative if they get tested too soon after being infected with HIV.
The Bottom LineHIV testing generally looks for HIV antibodies in the blood, or saliva or urine. The immune system produces these antibodies to fight HIV. It usually takes two to three months for them to show up. In rare cases, it can take longer than three months. During this "window period" you will not test positive for HIV even if you are infected. Normal HIV tests don't work for newborn children of HIV-infected mothers.
In New Mexico, you can get tested anonymously for HIV. Once you test positive and start to receive health care for HIV infection, your name will be reported to the Department of Health. These records are kept confidential.
A positive test result does not mean that you have AIDS. If you test positive, you should learn more about HIV and decide how to take care of your health.
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Taken from:
http://www.thebody.com/nmai/safersex.htmlHow Does HIV Spread During Sex?To spread HIV during sex, HIV infection in blood or sexual fluids must be transmitted to someone. Sexual fluids come from a man's p***s or from a woman's v****a, before, during, or after orgasm. HIV can be transmitted when infected fluid gets into someone's body.
You can't spread HIV if there is no HIV infection. If you and your partners are not infected with HIV, there is no risk. An "undetectable viral load" does NOT mean "no HIV infection." If there is no contact with blood or sexual fluids, there is no risk. HIV needs to get into the body for infection to occur.
Safer sex guidelines are ways to reduce the risk of spreading HIV during sexual activity.
Unsafe ActivitiesUnsafe sex has a high risk of spreading HIV. The greatest risk is when blood or sexual fluid touches the soft, moist areas (mucous membrane) inside the rectum, v****a, mouth, nose, or at the tip of the p***s. These can be damaged easily, which gives HIV a way to get into the body.
Vaginal or rectal intercourse without protection is very unsafe. Sexual fluids enter the body, and wherever a man's p***s is inserted, it can cause small tears that make HIV infection more likely. The receptive partner is more likely to be infected, although HIV might be able to enter the p***s, especially if it has contact with HIV-infected blood or vaginal fluids for a long time or if it has any open sores.
Some men think that they can?t transmit HIV if they pull their p***s out before they reach orgasm. This isn?t true, because HIV can be in the fluid that comes out of the p***s before orgasm.
Safer ActivitiesMost sexual activity carries some risk of spreading HIV. To reduce the risk, make it more difficult for blood or sexual fluid to get into your body.
Be aware of your body and your partner's. Cuts, sores, or bleeding gums increase the risk of spreading HIV. Rough physical activity also increases the risk. Even small injuries give HIV a way to get into the body.
Use a barrier to prevent contact with blood or sexual fluid. Remember that the body's natural barrier is the skin. If you don't have any cuts or sores, your skin will protect you against infection. However, in rare cases HIV can get into the body through healthy mucous membranes. The risk of infection is much higher if the membranes are damaged.
The most common artificial barrier is a condom for men. You can also use a female condom to protect the v****a or rectum during intercourse.
Lubricants can increase sexual stimulation. They also reduce the chance that condoms or other barriers will break. Oil-based lubricants like Vaseline, oils, or creams can damage condoms and other latex barriers. Be sure to use water-based lubricants.
Oral sex has some risk of transmitting HIV, especially if sexual fluids get in the mouth and if there are bleeding gums or sores in the mouth. Pieces of latex or plastic wrap over the v****a, or condoms over the p***s, can be used as barriers during oral sex. Condoms without lubricants are best for oral sex. Most lubricants taste awful.
Safe ActivitiesSafe activities have no risk for spreading HIV. Abstinence (never having sex) is totally safe. Sex with just one partner is safe as long as neither one of you is infected and if neither one of you ever has sex or shares needles with anyone else.
Fantasy, masturbation or hand jobs (where you keep your fluids to yourself), sexy talk, and non-sexual massage are also safe. These activities avoid contact with blood or sexual fluids, so there is no risk of transmitting HIV.
To be safe, assume that your sex partners are infected with HIV. You can't tell if people are infected by how they look. They could be lying if they tell you they are not infected, especially if they want to have sex with you. Some people got HIV from their steady partners who were unfaithful "just once."
Even people who got a negative test result might be infected. They might have been infected after they got tested, or they might have gotten the test too soon after they were exposed to HIV. Fact Sheet 102 has more information on HIV testing.
What if Both People Are Already Infected?Some people who are HIV-infected don't see the need to follow safer sex guidelines when they are sexual with other infected people. However, it still makes sense to "play safe." If you don't, you could be exposed to other sexually transmitted infections such as herpes or syphilis. If you already have HIV, these diseases can be more serious.
Also, you might get "re-infected" with a different strain of HIV. This new version of HIV might not be controlled by the medications you are taking. It might also be resistant to other HIV antiviral drugs. There is no way of knowing how risky it is for two HIV-positive people to have unsafe sex. Following the guidelines for safer sex will reduce the risk.
Set Your LimitsDecide how much risk you are willing to take. Know how much protection you want to use during different kinds of sexual activities. Before you have sex:
- Think about safer sex;
- Set your limits;
- Get a supply of lubricant and condoms or other barriers, and be sure they are easy to find when you need them; and
- Talk to your partners so they know your limits.
- Stick to your limits. Don't let alcohol or drugs or an attractive partner make you forget to protect yourself.
The Bottom LineHIV infection can occur during sexual activity. Sex is safe only if there is no HIV, no blood or sexual fluids, or no way for HIV to get into the body.
You can reduce the risk of infection if you avoid unsafe activities or if you use barriers like condoms. Decide on your limits and stick to them.
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Pictures of how HIV works:
http://www.thebody.com/whatis/hiv_illustrations.html~
A guild related to HIV and AIDS information:
http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/index.php?guild_id=9018------------------------------------
PamphletKnow About... HIV & AIDSHIV? AIDS?TOday we hear a lot about diseases called HIV and AIDS. By learning about HIV and AIDS, you will know how to protect yourself and others.
What is HIV?HIV is an infection that weakens our immune system. OUr immune system helps our body fight disease. Once our immune system is weak, it is easier for us to get sick.
Who can get HIV?- Women
- Men
- People of all ages
- Straight people, and gays and lesbians
- People from all cultures
What is AIDS?AIDS is the last stage of the infection caused by HIV. People who get AIDS always get HIV first.
AIDS stands for
Acquired
Immuno
deficiency
Syndrome.
HIV stands for
Human
Immunodeficiency
Virus.
People who have HIV will get AIDS, but this may not happen for years.
You cannot tell by looking at someone if they have HIV or AIDS. We protect ourselves from AIDS when we protect ourselves from HIV.
How do you get HIV?HIV is passed from one person to another mainly through 3 fluids:
1) Semen.
The white sticky fluid that comes from a man's p***s. Semen can be passed to another person during sex.
Always use a condom.2) Vaginal fluid.
Wetness in a woman's v****a. Wetness in the v****a can be passed to another person during sex.
3) Blood.
You can sick if blood from somsone who has HIV gets into your body. There are two common ways for blood to get into your body:
- Menstrual blood. Blood from a woman's period can be passed to another person during sex.
- Needles. Needles used for injecting drugs or making body art (tattoos or piercing) can contain small amounts of blood after use.
Never share needles.and...
HIV can be passed from mothers with HIV to babies before or during birth. HIV can also be passed to babies through the mother's breast milk.
How to protect yourself from HIV and AIDS1) You can choose not to have sex. This is safest.
2) If you do have sex, always use a condom.
3) Do not share needles for drug use or body art (tattoos or piercing).
Do Not... Do not put your p***s in somebody's bum or v****a without wearing a condom. Do not let somebody put their p***s or v****a unless they are wearing a condom. Semen, blood and vaginal fluid can pass HIV from one person to another.
Remember: You cannot tell if someone has HIV or AIDS. Sometimes people do not know they have the virus. Some people will not tell you if they have HIV or AIDS.
You are not safe from HIV if you take birth control pills, or have had an operation to stop you from getting pregnant (having yoru tubes tied). Birth control pills and operations stop pregnancu but not HIV. Only a condom will lower the risk of getting HIV.
About condomsLatex condoms (rubber) are best for protecting you from HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STD's).
Do...- Choose good quality brands.
- Choose lubricated condoms. Use only water-based lubricants like KY Jelly with condoms. Using petroleum jelly or oil as a lubricant might make the condom break.
- Check the expiry or "best before" date on the condom box or wrapper.
- Store condoms in a cool, dry place.
If you cannot buy condoms yourself, ask your doctor, healthcare worker, or local AIDS service organization (look under AIDS information in your local Yellow Pages) for help.
If you are allergic to latex, talk to your doctor or healthcare worker.
About needles - If you use needles to shoot drugs, you can get help to stop.
- If you cannot or will not stop using injection drugs, you can lower your risk of HIV infection [by getting help].
- Never share or re-use needles. Call an AIDS service organization for information about needle exchange programs.
- If you are getting a tattoo or piercing, ask people for names of artists you can trust. An AIDS service organization might be able to help you choose a safe body art shop.
About protecting your baby if you are pregnantTalk to your doctor.
Get an HIV test.
How to use a condom1) Open the package to remove the condom. Be careful your fingernails do not rip the condom.
2) Carefully place your thumbs inside the condom to find out which way it unrolls.
3) Once the p***s is hard, put the condom on. Before rolling it down, squeeze any air out of the tip of the condom.
4) Hold the tip of the condom, and unroll it all the way to the base of th p***s.
5) After you have sex, move away from your partner and take off the condom. Hold it at the base when you remove it, so you are careful that nothing spills out.
6) Throw the condom away. Never use a condom more than once.
Using condoms gets easier with practice.
Remember: Condoms can break, leak or slip. Using a latex condom is safer - but it only lowers the chance of getting HIV.
What is safe?You will not get HIV from the air or casual contact with people with HIV or AIDS.
It is safe to:
- Sit next to someone who has HIV or AIDS
- Touch, shake hands or hug
- Use public bathrooms
- Share towels
- Eat in a restaurant
- Swim in a public pool
- Get an injection from a doctor or nurse
You will not get HIV or AIDS from an insect bite.
HIV and your bodySoon after being infected, people with HIV may feel like they have the flu. Others feel no symptoms at all.
The body's immune system tries to fight the virus. After awhile, people with HIV may begin to feel better, but the virus is still in their body.
People with HIV can look and feel healthy for years.
After having HIV for some time, an infected person may begin to notice some changes. Some of the signs of HIV include:
- Skin rashes
- Fevers or "night sweats"
- Swollen glands under the arms or in the neck or groin
- Sudden loss of weight
- Tiredness
- Change in appetite
Remember: People can have HIV, and show and feel no signs at all.
TestingGet an HIV test if you think you might have the virus. It is very important to be tested for HIV early.
Remember: HIV is spread through semen, vaginal fluid, and blood.
If you are infected, signs of the virus called HIV antibodies are produced in your blood. A blood test can show that you are:
1) HIV negative - you do not have HIV antibodies.
or
2) HIV positive - you have HIV>
It can take a few months before your body makes the HIV antibodies. If your test is negative, your doctor may want to test you again.
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