What is HIV and how can I get it?
HIV - the
human
immuno
deficiency
virus - is a
virus that kills your body’s
"CD4 cells." CD4 cells (also
called T-helper cells) help your
body fight off infection and
disease. HIV can be passed
from person to person if
someone with HIV infection has
sex with or shares drug injection
needles with another person. It
also can be passed from a
mother to her baby when she is
pregnant, when she delivers the
baby, or if she breastfeeds her
baby.
What is AIDS?
AIDS - the
acquired
immuno
deficiency
syndrome -
is a disease you get when HIV
destroys your body’s immune
system. Normally, your
immune system helps you fight
off illness. When your immune
system fails you can become
very sick and can die.
What do
I need to
know
about
HIV?
The first cases of AIDS were
identified in the United States in
1981, but AIDS most likely
existed here and in other parts
of the world for many years
before that time. In 1984
scientists proved that HIV
causes AIDS.
Anyone can get HIV. The most
important thing to know is how
you can get the virus.
You can get HIV:
- By having unprotected
sex- sex without a
condom-
with someone
who has HIV. The virus
can be in an infected
person’s blood, semen, or
vaginal secretions and can
enter your body through
tiny cuts or sores in your
skin, or in the lining of your
vagina, penis, rectum, or mouth.
- By sharing a needle and
syringe to inject drugs or
sharing drug equipment
used to prepare drugs for
injection with someone who
has HIV.
- From a blood transfusion
or blood clotting factor that
you got before 1985. (But
today it is unlikely you
could get infected that way
because all blood in the
United States has been
tested for HIV since 1985.)
Babies born to women with
HIV also can become infected
during pregnancy, birth, or
breast-feeding.
You can
not get HIV:
- By working with or being
around someone who has
HIV.
- From sweat, spit, tears,
clothes, drinking fountains,
phones, toilet seats, or
through everyday things like
sharing a meal.
- From insect bites or stings.
- From donating blood.
- From a closed-mouth kiss
(but there is a very small
chance of getting it from
open-mouthed or "French"
kissing with an infected
person because of possible
blood contact).
How can
I protect
myself?
- Don’t share needles and syringes used to inject drugs,
steroids, vitamins, or for tattooing or body piercing. Also,
don’t share equipment ("works") used to prepare drugs to be
injected. Many people have been infected with HIV, hepatitis,
and other germs this way. Germs from an infected person can stay
in a needle and then be injected directly into the next person
who uses the needle.
- The surest way to avoid transmission of sexually transmitted
diseases is to abstain from sexual intercourse, or to be in a
longterm mutually monogamous relationship with a partner who has
been tested and you know is uninfected.
- For persons whose sexual behaviors place them at risk for
STDs, correct and consistent use of the male latex condom can
reduce the risk of STD transmission. However, no protective
method is 100 percent effective, and condom use cannot guarantee
absolute protection against any STD. The more sex partners you
have, the greater your chances are of getting HIV or other
diseases passed through sex.
- Condoms used with a lubricant are less likely to
break. However, condoms with the spermicide nonoxynol-9 are not
recommended for
STD/HIV prevention. Condoms must be used correctly and consistently
to be effective and protective. Incorrect use can lead to condom
slippage or breakage, thus
diminishing the protective effect. Inconsistent use, e.g.,
failure to use condoms with every act of intercourse, can result
in STD transmission because transmission can occur with a single
act of intercourse.
- Don’t share razors or toothbrushes because of they may have
the blood of another person on them.
- If you are pregnant or think you might be soon, talk to a
doctor or your local health department about being tested for
HIV. If you share HIV, drug treatments are available to help you and
they can reduce the
chance of passing HIV to your baby.
How do I
know if I
have HIV
or AIDS?
You might have HIV and still
feel perfectly healthy.
The only
way to know for sure if you
are infected or not is to be
tested. Talk with a
knowledgeable health care
provider or counselor both
before and after you are tested.
You can go to your doctor or
health department for testing. To find out where to go in your area for
HIV counseling and testing,
call your local health
department or the CDC
INFO, at
1-800-CDC-INFO (232-4636).
Your doctor or health care
provider can give you a
confidential HIV test. The
information on your HIV test
and test results are
confidential, as is your other
medical information. This
means it can be shared
only
with people authorized to see
your medical records. You
can ask your doctor, health
care provider, or HIV
counselor at the place you are
tested to explain who can
obtain this information. For
example, you may want to ask
whether your insurance
company could find out your
HIV status if you make a claim
for health insurance benefits or
apply for life insurance or
disability insurance.
CDC recommends that everyone know their HIV status. How often you should an HIV
test depends on your circumstances. If you have never been tested for HIV, you
should be tested. CDC recommends being tested at least once a year if you do
things that can transmit HIV infection, such as:
- injecting drugs or steroids with used injection equipment
- having sex for money or drugs
- having sex with an HIV infected person
- having more than one sex partner since your HIV test
- having a sex partner who has had other sex partners since your last HIV
test.
If you have been tested for
HIV and the result is negative
and you never do things that
might transmit HIV infection,
then you and your health care
provider can decide whether
you need to get tested again.
You are more likely to test
positive for (be infected with)
HIV if you
- Have ever shared injection
drug needles and syringes
or "works."
- Have ever had sex without a
condom with someone who
had HIV.
- Have ever had a sexually
transmitted disease, like
chlamydia or gonorrhea.
- Received a blood
transfusion or a blood
clotting factor between
1978 and 1985.
- Have ever had sex with
someone who has done any of those things
What can
I do if the
test shows
I have
HIV?
Although HIV is a very serious
infection, many people with
HIV and AIDS are living longer,
healthier lives today, thanks to
new and effective treatments. It
is very important to make sure
you have a doctor who knows
how to treat HIV. If you don’t
know which doctor to use, talk
with a health care professional
or trained HIV counselor. If
you are pregnant or are planning
to become pregnant, this is
especially important.
There also are other things you can do for yourself to stay healthy. Here are a
few
- Follow your doctor’s
instructions. Keep your
appointments. Your doctor
may prescribe medicine for
you. Take the medicine just
the way he or she tells you
to because taking only
some of your medicine
gives your HIV infection
more chance to grow.
- Get immunizations (shots) to prevent infections such as pneumonia and flu.
Your doctor will tell you when to get these shots.
- If you smoke or if you use
drugs not prescribed by
your doctor, quit.
- Eat healthy foods. This will
help keep you strong, keep
your energy and weight up,
and help your body protect
itself.
- Exercise regularly to stay
strong and fit.
- Get enough sleep and rest.
