WHAT YOU SHOULD
KNOW
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the infection that
leads to AIDS. The virus may not cause any symptoms at first,
but it will eventually weaken the immune system to the point
that it can no longer fight off disease The virus is
spread by contact with blood or body fluids. It may be in all
body fluids; but only blood, semen, discharge from the vagina,
and possibly breast milk have enough of the virus to infect
other people. It can be spread from male to male, male to
female, female to male, or female to female. It can be passed
from a mother to her unborn child or a nursing baby. Most
people get the virus from having sex or using dirty
needles.
Causes
If you have sex with someone who has HIV, or use the same
needle as someone with HIV, you can get the virus. It doesn't
matter whether you are gay or straight; and your sexual partner
may not be sick or even know that he or she has the virus. You
can also get HIV from an infected blood transfusion. A pregnant
woman with HIV can pass the virus to her
baby.
Signs/Symptoms
There are usually no symptoms at
first. Months or years later, when the virus has broken down
the immune system, you may feel tired, lose weight, have a
fever, get skin or lung infections, or develop cancer. You can
also have diarrhea that lasts for a long time, swollen glands,
mouth sores, or night sweats.
Care
There is no cure, but there are
medicines that may slow down the development of AIDS. Other
medicines can be prescribed to fight the infections that AIDS
allows to take hold.
WHAT YOU SHOULD DO
-
Keep your risk to a minimum. Having multiple sexual
partners and using IV drugs put you at greatest
risk.
-
Don't have sex without a condom. Use a condom every
time you have oral, vaginal, or anal sex. Always use a
latex condom. Condoms made from animal skin (lamb skin)
will not protect you from the virus.
-
Use water-based lotions such as K-Y Jelly, Foreplay,
and Wet with a condom. NEVER use oils such as Vaseline,
Crisco, baby oil, or hand lotion. They could cause the
condom to break.
-
Safer forms of sex include massage, hugging,
masturbation, dry kissing, or oral sex with a
condom.
-
If you and your partner both have HIV, you should
still have safe sex. You might have slightly different
strains of the virus, and you could infect each
other.
-
Drug users should always use clean needles and
syringes. They can be cleaned with bleach for 30 seconds
and rinsed with clean water.
-
Ear piercing and tattooing should always be done with
a clean needle.
-
Working or living in the same house with someone who
is infected with HIV is safe. Sneezing, talking, touching,
handshaking, and sharing dishes or glasses, toilets, and
air space does not spread AIDS. You cannot get AIDS from
mosquito bites, from donating blood, or from touching a
doorknob, table top, telephone or something else that a
person with AIDS may have used.
-
Since April 1985, all donated blood has been tested
for HIV. Only blood that has tested negative and has been
specially treated to kill the virus is used for
transfusions. There is still a small risk of HIV infection
from blood, however. Donors may give blood before they know
they're infected. Some people store their own blood if they
know in advance that they are going to have surgery. This
procedure is called autotransfusion.
-
If you even suspect you've had contact with HIV, get
tested. If you have HIV, see a doctor right away. Early
treatment may help you. Do not donate blood or organs. Do
not have sex without telling your partner that you may have
HIV.
Return to top
|
Email this page
Printer friendly
Bookmark this page
