What is HIV?

 

• Saliva
• Tears
• Sweat
• Feces
• Urine

How well does HIV survive outside the body?

 

What is AIDS? What causes AIDS?

 

AIDS stands for Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome. An HIV-infected person receives a diagnosis of AIDS after developing one of the  AIDS-defining illnesses. An HIV-positive person who has not had any serious illnesses also can receive an AIDS diagnosis on the basis of certain blood tests (CD4+ counts). A positive HIV test result does not mean that a person has AIDS. A diagnosis of AIDS is made by a physician using certain clinical criteria (e.g., AIDS indicator illnesses).  

Infection with HIV can weaken the immune system to the point that it has difficulty fighting off certain infections. These types of infections are known as "opportunistic" infections because they take the opportunity a weakened immune system gives to cause illness. Many of the infections that cause problems or may be life-threatening for people with AIDS are usually controlled by a healthy immune system. The immune system of a person with AIDS is weakened to the point that medical intervention may be necessary to prevent or treat serious illness. Today there are medical treatments that can slow down the rate at which HIV weakens the immune system. There are other treatments that can prevent or cure some of the illnesses associated with AIDS. As with other diseases, early detection offers more options for treatment and preventative care.

What is the difference between HIV and AIDS?

 

HIV is the virus that causes AIDS.

H - Human: because this virus can only infect human beings.
I - Immuno-deficiency: because the effect of the virus is to create a deficiency, a failure to work properly, within the body's immune system.
V - Virus: because this organism is a virus, which means one of its characteristics is that it is incapable of reproducing by itself. It reproduces by taking over the machinery of the human cell.

AIDS –

A - Acquired: because it's a condition one must acquire or get infected with; not something transmitted through the genes
I - Immune: because it affects the body's immune system, the part of the body which usually works to fight off germs such as bacteria and viruses
D - Deficiency:  because it   makes   the   immune    system deficient (makes it not work properly)
S - Syndrome: because someone with AIDS may experience a wide range of different diseases and opportunistic infections

Where did HIV come from?

 

We do not know. Scientists have different theories about the origin of HIV, but none have been proven. The earliest known case of HIV was from a blood sample collected in 1959 from a man in Kinshasha, Democratic Republic of Congo. (How he became infected is not known.) Genetic analysis of this blood sample suggests that HIV-1 may have stemmed from a single virus in the late 1940s or early 1950s.

In 1982 public health officials began to use the term "acquired immunodeficiency syndrome," or AIDS, to describe the occurrences of opportunistic infections, Kaposi's sarcoma, and Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in previously healthy men. Formal tracking (surveillance) of AIDS cases began that year in the United States.

Where did AIDS come from?

 

AIDS is caused by a virus called HIV, but where this virus came from is not known. However, as new facts are discovered about viruses like HIV, the question of where HIV first came from is becoming more complicated to answer.

Moreover, such questions are no longer relevant and do not help in our efforts to combat this epidemic. What is more important is the fact that HIV is present in all countries and we need to determine how best to prevent the further spread of this deadly virus.

Why Do I Need to Know About HIV Infection and AIDS?

 

Unlike many diseases, HIV infection and AIDS are preventable. While it can be disturbing to think about AIDS and consider your risk, getting up-to-date information is the first step toward protecting yourself. The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) damages cells in the immmune (defense) system that fights off infections and diseases. As the virus gradually destroys these important cells, the immune system becomes less and less able to protect against illness.

Typically, HIV lives in an infected person's body for months or years before any signs of illness appear. AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Dificiency Syndrome. AIDS is the last stage of HIV infection. People with AIDS experience certain life-threatening infections and cancers which make them very sick and can eventually kill them.

If a person becomes infected with HIV, does that mean he/she has AIDS?

 

It is still not certain that everyone with HIV infection will get AIDS. It seems likely that most people with HIV will develop serious problems with their health. But this may be after many years. A person with HIV may not know they are infected but can pass the virus on to other people.

How does HIV cause AIDS?

 

HIV destroys a certain kind of blood cells--CD4+ T cells (helper cells)--which are crucial to the normal function of the human immune system. In fact, loss of these cells in people with HIV is an extremely powerful predictor of the development of AIDS. Studies of thousands of people have revealed that most people infected with HIV carry the virus for years before enough damage is done to the immune system for AIDS to develop.

However, recently developed sensitive tests have shown a strong connection between the amount of HIV in the blood and the decline in CD4+ T cell numbers and the development of AIDS. Reducing the amount of virus in the body with anti-HIV drugs can slow this immune destruction.

How long does it take for HIV to cause AIDS?

 

Today there are medical treatments that can slow down the rate at which HIV weakens the immune system. There are other treatments that can prevent or cure some of the illnesses associated with AIDS, though the treatments do not cure AIDS itself. As with other diseases, early detection offers more options for treatment and preventative health care

How is HIV Transmitted?

 

• Blood (including menstrual blood)
• Semen
• Vaginal secretions
• Breast milk

Blood contains the highest concentration of the virus, followed by semen, followed by vaginal fluids, followed by breast milk

Can I get HIV from kissing on the cheek?

 

Can I get HIV from open-mouth kissing?

 

One case suggests that a woman became infected with HIV from her sex partner through exposure to contaminated blood during open-mouth kissing

Can I get HIV from through oral sex ?

 

Yes, it is possible for you to become infected with HIV through oral sex. There have been a few cases of HIV transmission from performing oral sex on a person infected with HIV. While no one knows exactly what the degree of risk is, evidence suggests that the risk is less than that of unprotected anal or vaginal sex.

Blood, semen, pre-seminal fluid, and vaginal fluid all may contain the virus. Cells in the mucous lining of the mouth may carry HIV into the lymph nodes or the bloodstream. The risk increases  if you have cuts or sores around or in your mouth or throat if your partner ejaculates in your mouth if your partner has another sexually transmitted disease (STD). If you choose to have oral sex, and your partner is male, use a latex condom on the penis.

If you or your partner is allergic to latex, plastic (polyurethane) condoms can be used. Research has shown the effectiveness of latex condoms used on the penis to prevent the transmission of HIV.

Condoms are not risk-free, but they greatly reduce your risk of becoming HIV-infected if your partner has the virus. If you choose to have oral sex, and your partner is female, use a latex barrier (such as a dental dam or a cut-open condom that makes a square) between your mouth and the vagina. Plastic food wrap also can be used as a barrier.  

The barrier reduces the risk of blood or vaginal fluids entering your mouth.

Can I get HIV from having vaginal sex?

 

Yes, it is possible to become infected with HIV through vaginal intercourse. In fact, it is the most common way the virus is transmitted in much of the world. HIV can be found in the blood, semen, pre-seminal fluid, or vaginal fluid of a person infected with the virus. The lining of the vagina can tear and possibly allow HIV to enter the body. Direct absorption of HIV through the mucous membranes that line the vagina also is a possibility.

The male may be at less risk for HIV transmission than the female through vaginal intercourse. However, HIV can enter the body of the male through his urethra (the opening at the tip of the penis) or through small cuts or open sores on the penis. Risk for HIV infection increases if you or a partner has a sexually transmitted disease (STD).

If you choose to have vaginal intercourse, use a latex condom to help protect both you and your partner from the risk of HIV and other STDs. Studies have shown that latex condoms are very effective, though not perfect, in preventing HIV transmission when used correctly and consistently.

If either partner is allergic to latex, plastic (polyurethane) condoms for either the male or female can be used.

Can I get HIV from anal sex?

 

Yes, it is possible for either sex partner to become infected with HIV during anal sex. HIV can be found in the blood, semen, pre-seminal fluid, or vaginal fluid of a person infected with the virus. In general, the person receiving the semen is at greater risk of getting HIV because the lining of the rectum is thin and may allow the virus to enter the body during anal sex. However, a person who inserts his penis into an infected partner also is at risk because HIV can enter through the urethra (the opening at the tip of the penis) or through small cuts, abrasions, or open sores on the penis.

Having unprotected (without a condom) anal sex is considered to be a very risky behavior. If people choose to have anal sex, they should use a latex condom. Most of the time, condoms work well. However, condoms are more likely to break during anal sex than during vaginal sex. Thus, even with a condom, anal sex can be risky. A person should use a water-based lubricant in addition to the condom to reduce the chances of the condom breaking.

What About Getting AIDS from Body Fluids Like Saliva?

 

By now, HIV has been the subject of more research than most other diseases in history. Medical science is confident about these basic facts: You can't get HIV or AIDS from touching someone, sharing items such as cups or pencils, or coughing or sneezing. HIV is not spread through routine contact in restaurants, workplaces, or schools.

How does a mother transmit HIV to her unborn child?

 

Can HIV be transmitted through breast-feeding?

 

Can blood transfusions transmit HIV infection?

 

Why are injecting drug users vulnerable to HIV?

 

At the start of every intravenous injection, blood is introduced into needles and syringes. HIV can be found in the blood of a person infected with the virus. The reuse of a blood-contaminated needle or syringe by another drug injector (sometimes called "direct syringe sharing") carries a high risk of HIV transmission because infected blood can be injected directly into the bloodstream.

In addition, sharing drug equipment (or "works") can be a risk for spreading HIV. Infected blood can be introduced into drug solutions by  using blood-contaminated syringes to prepare drugs reusing water reusing bottle caps, spoons, or other containers ("spoons" and "cookers") used to dissolve drugs in water and to heat drug solutions reusing small pieces of cotton or cigarette filters ("cottons") used to filter out particles that could block the needle.

"Street sellers" of syringes may repackage used syringes and sell them as sterile syringes. For this reason, people who continue to inject drugs should obtain syringes from reliable sources of sterile syringes, such as pharmacies. It is important to know that sharing a needle or syringe for any use, including skin popping and injecting steroids, can put one at risk for HIV and other blood-borne infections. 

How can people who use injection drugs reduce their risk for HIV infection?

 

The Centre for Disease Control recommends that people who inject drugs should be regularly counseled to  stop using and injecting drugs and undergo a complete substance abuse treatment, including relapse prevention.

For injection drug users who cannot or will not stop injecting drugs, the following steps may be taken to reduce personal and public health risks:  Never reuse or "share" syringes, water, or drug preparation equipment. Only use syringes obtained from a reliable source (such as pharmacies or needle exchange programs). Use a new, sterile syringe to prepare and inject drugs. 

If possible, use sterile water to prepare drugs; otherwise, use clean water from a reliable source (such as fresh tap water). Use a new or disinfected container ("cooker") and a new filter ("cotton") to prepare drugs. 

Clean the injection site prior to injection with a new alcohol swab. 

Safely dispose of syringes after one use. If new, sterile syringes and other drug preparation and injection equipment are not available, then previously used equipment should be boiled in water or disinfected with bleach before reuse.

Injection drug users and their sex partners also should take precautions, such as using condoms consistently and correctly, to reduce risks of sexual transmission of HIV.

Can I get HIV from getting a tattoo or through body piercing?

 

A risk of HIV transmission does exist if instruments contaminated with blood are either not sterilized or disinfected or are used inappropriately between clients. The Centre for Disease Control recommends that instruments that are intended to penetrate the skin be used once, then disposed of or thoroughly cleaned and sterilized. Personal service workers who do tattooing or body piercing should be educated about how HIV is transmitted and take precautions to prevent transmission of HIV and other blood-borne infections in their settings.

If you are considering getting a tattoo or having your body pierced, ask staff at the establishment what procedures they use to prevent the spread of HIV and other blood-borne infections, such as hepatitis B virus. You also may call the local health department to find out what sterilization procedures are in place in the local area for these types of establishments.

Are health care workers at risk of getting HIV on the job?

 

The risk of health care workers getting HIV on the job is very low, especially if they carefully follow universal precautions (i.e., using protective practices and personal protective equipment to prevent HIV and other blood-borne infections). It is important to remember that casual, everyday contact with an HIV-infected person does not expose health care workers or anyone else to HIV. For health care workers on the job, the main risk of HIV transmission is through accidental injuries from needles and other sharp instruments that may be contaminated with the virus. Even this risk is small, however.

Scientists estimate that the risk of infection from a needle prick is less than 1 percent, a figure based on the findings of several studies of health care workers who received punctures from HIV-contaminated needles or were otherwise exposed to HIV-contaminated blood.

Are patients in a dentist's or doctor's office at risk of getting HIV?

 

Although HIV transmission is possible in health care settings, it is extremely rare. Medical experts emphasize that the careful practice of infection control procedures, including universal precautions, protects patients as well as health care providers from possible HIV infection in medical and dental offices.

In 1990, the Centre for Disease Control reported on an HIV-infected dentist in Florida who apparently infected some of his patients while doing dental work. Studies of viral DNA sequences linked the dentist to six of his patients who were also HIV-infected. The CDC has as yet been unable to establish how the transmission took place.

Further studies of more than 22,000 patients of 63 health care providers who were HIV-infected have found no further evidence of transmission from provider to patient in health care settings.  

Should I be concerned about getting infected with HIV while playing sports?

 

There are no documented cases of HIV being transmitted during participation in sports. The very low risk of transmission during sports participation would involve sports with direct body contact in which bleeding might be expected to occur.

If someone is bleeding, their participation in the sport should be interrupted until the wound stops bleeding and is both antiseptically cleaned and securely bandaged. There is no risk of HIV transmission through sports activities where bleeding does not occur.

Can I get HIV from casual contact?

 

No. HIV is not transmitted by day-to-day contact in the workplace, schools, or social settings. HIV is not transmitted through shaking hands, hugging, or a casual kiss. You cannot become infected from a toilet seat, a drinking fountain, a door knob, dishes, drinking glasses, food, or pets.

A small number of cases of transmission have been reported in which a person became infected with HIV as a result of contact with blood or other body secretions from an HIV-infected person in the household. Although contact with blood and other body substances can occur in households, transmission of HIV is rare in this setting.

However, persons infected with HIV and persons providing home care for those who are HIV-infected should be fully educated and trained regarding appropriate infection-control techniques.

HIV is not an airborne or food-borne virus, and it does not live long outside the body. HIV can be found in the blood, semen, or vaginal fluid of an infected person.

The four main ways HIV is transmitted are through having sex (anal, vaginal, or oral) with someone infected with HIV, through sharing needles and syringes with a HIV positive person, from infected  mother to her child before or during birth, or through breast feeding and through infected blood and blood products

Can I get infected with HIV from mosquitoes?

 

No. From the start of the HIV epidemic there has been concern about HIV transmission of the virus by biting and bloodsucking insects, such as mosquitoes. However, studies conducted by the CDC and elsewhere have shown no evidence of HIV transmission through mosquitoes or any other insects -- even in areas where there are many cases of AIDS and large populations of mosquitoes. Lack of such outbreaks, despite intense efforts to detect them, supports the conclusion that HIV is not transmitted by insects.

The results of experiments and observations of insect biting behavior indicate that when an insect bites a person, it does not inject its own or a previously bitten person's or animal's blood into the next person bitten. Rather, it injects saliva, which acts as a lubricant so the insect can feed efficiently. Diseases such as yellow fever and malaria are transmitted through the saliva of specific species of mosquitoes. However, HIV lives for only a short time inside an insect and, unlike organisms that are transmitted via insect bites, HIV does not reproduce (and does not survive) in insects. Thus, even if the virus enters a mosquito or another insect, the insect does not become infected and cannot transmit HIV to the next human it bites.

There also is no reason to fear that a mosquito or other insect could transmit HIV from one person to another through HIV-infected blood left on its mouth parts. Several reasons help explain why this is so. First, infected people do not have constantly high levels of HIV in their blood streams. Second, insect mouth parts retain only very small amounts of blood on their surfaces.

Finally, scientists who study insects have determined that biting insects normally do not travel from one person to the next immediately after ingesting blood. Rather, they fly to a resting place to digest the blood meal. 

Are women at equal risk of getting infected with HIV?

 

What are the factors that heighten women's vulnerability to HIV?

 

A combination of biological, social, cultural and economic factors contribute to the rise of female infection.  In particular, prevalent gender inequalities constrain the capacity of women to assert power over their own lives and to control the circumstances that increase their vulnerability to infection, particularly in the context of sexual relationships.

a) Biological factors - It is believed that women may be biologically more susceptible to HIV infection from heterosexual sex than men.  Because the female genital tract has a greater exposed surface area than the male genital tract, women may be prone to greater per-exposure risk of infection. Male to female transmission is estimated to be twice as likely as female to male in a single act of vaginal intercourse.

b) Social and cultural factors - Social and cultural norms contribute to the unequal status of women in society and this contributes to the spread of disease. Particularly in the developing world, women are often denied the power to make the decisions about their sexual relationships that may lower their risk of HIV infection.  Social norms restrict women’s ability to negotiate sex with a condom, demand fidelity in a relationship or seek information about protection, treatment or health care.

The unequal power balance between men and women puts women at a greater risk.  For example, social norms may dictate that women remain monogamous, while men may be allowed and even encouraged to engage in sex with multiple partners. Fear of violence, rejection and abandonment are additional factors that contribute to women’s vulnerability.

c) Economic factors - Poverty and the reliance on men for economic support compound women’s risk of infection.  The lack of productive resources may force women to engage in unsafe sex or may force them to exchange sex for money or material favors as a means of survival or to support their children. The fact that women are often financially and materially dependent on men makes it difficult or impossible for them to take control of their sexual relationships. 

Is there a connection between HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases?

 

Yes. Having a sexually transmitted disease (STD) can increase a person's risk of becoming infected with HIV, whether the STD causes open sores or breaks in the skin (e.g., syphilis, herpes, chancroid) or does not cause breaks in the skin (e.g., chlamydia, gonorrhea).

If the STD infection causes irritation of the skin, breaks or sores may make it easier for HIV to enter the body during sexual contact. Even when the STD causes no breaks or open sores, the infection can stimulate an immune response in the genital area that can make HIV transmission more likely.

In addition, if an HIV-infected person also is infected with another STD, that person is three to five times more likely than other HIV-infected persons to transmit HIV through sexual contact. Not having (abstaining from) sexual intercourse is the most effective way to avoid STDs, including HIV.

For those who choose to be sexually active, the following HIV prevention activities are highly effective:  Engaging in sex that does not involve vaginal, anal, or oral sex Having intercourse with only one uninfected partner Using latex condoms every time you have sex

Does the presence of other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) facilitate HIV transmission?

 

Yes. Every STD causes some damage to the genital skin and mucous layer, which facilitates the entry of HIV into the body.

The most dangerous are:

• Syphilis

• Chancrold

• Genital herpes

• Gonorrhoea 

Why is early treatment of STD important?

 

Why is the AIDS epidemic considered so serious?

 

Could I Be at Risk?

 

What Can I Do To Avoid Getting HIV Infection?

 

Six Ways to Reduce Risk

Abstain from vaginal, anal, and oral sex. Many other things feel good and are safe, because no blood, semen, or vaginal secretions get into the body. Safe activities include hugging, cuddling, masturbating, kissing, fantasizing, body-to-body rubbing, and massage.

Use condoms. Unless you're 100% sure your sexual partner is not infected with HIV or other STDs, reduce your risk by using a latex condom (rubber) on the penis from start to finish every time you have anal, vaginal, or oral sex. The female condom can also help protect you.

Learn to talk with your partner about condoms and safer sex. Condoms can protect both of you from many STDs.

If you use lubricant, use one that is water-based. Lubricants containing oil (such as Vaseline) might cause latex condoms to break.

If you use spermicidal (birth control) foams and jellies, use them along with condoms, not in place of condoms. The effectiveness of spermicidal in preventing HIV is unknown.

If you are a drug user, seek help. Never share needles. Avoid mixing alcohol or other drugs with sexual activities-they might cloud your judgment and lead you to engage in unsafe sexual practices.

How can I avoid being infected through sex?

 

What is ABC in terms of HIV prevention?

 

ABC stands for Abstinence, Be faithful to a single partner and Condom use.

How effective are measures such as “ABC” (Abstinence, Be faithful, Condoms) in protecting women against HIV?

 

Behavioral approaches such as “ABC” are particularly difficult for women because in many societies men dictate sexual behavior.  Moreover, it is often the behavior of men, and not that of women that heightens their risk of infection. 

Abstaining from sex is not an option for many women, particularly in situations of forced or coerced sex.  Being faithful is only effective if adopted by both partners, and recent trends show that men are increasingly infecting their wives and female partners who are monogamous. The decision to use or not use condoms is usually made by men. 

How effective are latex condoms in preventing HIV?

 

Is it true that male circumcision may provide protection against HIV infection?

 

How can children and young people be protected from HIV?

 

Since female infection is often caused by the high-risk behavior of their male partners, how can women take control of their risk?