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(Adapted, American Association for World Health, 2005)
What is HIV? HIV stands
for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, the virus that causes AIDS.
What is AIDS? AIDS stands
for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, the most severe manifestation
of infection with HIV.
How is HIV transmitted?
The virus is transmitted through the exchange of HIV-infected
body fluids: blood, semen (and pre-ejaculate fluid), vaginal
secretions, and breast milk. The most frequent route of transmission
is through vaginal, anal, or oral sex with an infected partner.
HIV is also transmitted through sharing needles during injection
drug use, as well as through infected body fluids on scissors,
hair clippers, razor blades, tweezers, ear piercing instruments,
tattoo needles, and pins.
Can the virus survive outside the body?
HIV cannot survive for an extended period outside the body; it needs a human host to survive.
HIV is transmitted only when the body fluids listed above enter
the bloodstream of an uninfected person.
Can an HIV-positive person infect others
if his or her HIV-antibody test is negative? Yes.
From the moment a person is infected, whether or not the person
is aware of it, he or she can infect others. A negative test
for a positive person is common during the "window period,"
an incubation period of 14-90 days after exposure to the virus,
during which a person's body may (or may not) produce antibodies in
response to it.
Can a person contract HIV through casual
contact? No. A person cannot contract HIV from holding
hands, hugging, touching, dry kissing, urine or sweat, using
public restrooms, showers, pools or saunas, sharing clothing
or towels, or sharing drinks or eating utensils, or from mosquito
or other insect bites.
How can I prevent contracting HIV?
The only way to be 100% certain of preventing the sexual transmission
of HIV is to abstain from sexual contact. In other words, you
can practically eliminate the risk of HIV infection by abstaining
from sexual contact and by not using alcohol and other drugs.
You can also reduce, but not eliminate, the risk of contracting
HIV by engaging in expressions of intimacy such as dry kissing,
massaging, hugging, and touching, that do not involve the exchange
of body fluids. You can also reduce your risk of contracting
HIV by correctly using a latex condom from start to finish each
time you have vaginal, anal, or oral sex.
Can a person contract HIV by donating
blood? No. Donating blood poses no risk. Persons
who may receive blood should know that, since 1985 in the U.S.,
all blood, organs, and tissue used during transfusions or surgeries
have been tested for HIV and are generally considered safe. However, persons have become HIV+ from contaminated blood products. Medical and surgical instruments are sterilized or discarded
properly after each use.
What if I think I may be infected?
Get tested right away.If you have been exposed to
the possibility of HIV infection, the only way to know your
HIV status for sure is to get tested. Most county health departments
offer free testing and counseling. Many social service agencies
and organizations also offer free anonymous or confidential
testing.
Will my test results be confidential?
The testing site you visit can tell you whether or not your
results are confidential, which means your name is used but
the results are not released without your consent, or anonymous,
which means your name is not used, but is replaced by a number
in the testing process.
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