>HIV01.

HIV An Introduction
1.1 Did you know?
1.2 How can I avoid becoming infected with HIV?
1.3 What’s the difference between HIV and AIDS?
1.4 How can I find out if I have HIV?
1.5 How is HIV transmitted?
1.6 How do I know if someone has HIV/AIDS?
1.7 Traveling Overseas
1.8 Using Interpreters

1.1 Did you know? 1.2 How can I avoid

• HIV is the virus that causes AIDS
• There are more than 40 million
people worldwide living with HIV/
AIDS
• More than half of these people are
women and children
• HIV/AIDS affects everyone
regardless age, skin colour,
cultural background or religion
• There is no cure for AIDS.
• Using condoms during anal and
vaginal sex, and not sharing
needles or other injecting
equipment remain the most
effective ways to protect yourself
from HIV, the virus that causes
AIDS.
• Worldwide, sex between men and
women is the main route of HIV
transmission.
In Australia....
• There are currently about 15,000
people living with HIV/AIDS.
Here in Australia, HIV has
been transmitted mainly through
sex between men. However,
transmission through sex between
men and women is increasing.
becoming infected with
HIV?
Sexual Intercourse
HIV can be transmitted through tiny
cuts and scrapes in the surface of
the vagina, penis
or anus during unprotected sex with
a HIV positive (infected) person.
To avoid transmission of HIV
practice SAFE SEX:
• Using a new condom and water-
based lubricant (eg. KY jelly or
Wetstuff) every time you have
vaginal or anal sex.
This will also protect you from
most other sexually transmitted
infections.
How to use a condom?
1. Open packet with care to avoid
tearing the condom.
2. Squeeze the tip of the condom
between your finger and thumb
to remove air and roll the condom
down the penis (pull back the

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ORGANISATION MULTICULTURAL HIV/AIDS AND HEPATITIS C SERVICES DATE PUBLISHED 18/12/03
foreskin if necessary before putting 4 Doing this will also help protect you
the condom on) from other viruses such as hepatitis B
3. Once the condom is on the penis and hepatitis C.
cover with water-based lubricant.
4. Hold the condom at the base of Mother to Child
the penis when you withdraw to
prevent semen spilling out. HIV can be passed on from a HIV
5. Put the condom in the bin positive (infected) mother to her
child during pregnancy, childbirth,
NEVER RE-USE A CONDOM. or through breast feeding. However,
5 many HIV positive (infected) women
1 are now able to have healthy
babies by taking medication during
pregnancy.

If you are a HIV-positive (infected)

Injecting drugs, body piercing or
2 tattooing
HIV can be transmitted through
sharing needles and syringes and by
having body piercing and tattooing
done with used needles.
To avoid transmission of HIV
when injecting drugs:
3 • Don’t share needles, syringes
and other equipment used to
inject drugs.
To avoid transmission of HIV
when having body piercing and
tattooing:
• Go to a licensed studio where
needles and other equipment
are discarded after use or properly
sterilised.
woman who is pregnant or planning
to have a baby it is important that
you talk to your doctor as soon as
possible. As HIV is present in breast
milk, it is recommended in Australia
that HIV positive (infected) mothers
do not breast feed their babies. Safe
and effective alternatives for feeding
babies are available.
Blood transfusions and/or blood
products
In Australia since 1985, blood and
all blood products are checked for
HIV. People who are HIV-positive
(infected) cannot donate blood.
However, blood transfusion remains
a high risk in some overseas
countries.
1.3 What’s the difference
between HIV and AIDS?
HIV/AIDS is often written and
referred to as one word with one
meaning. But HIV and AIDS have
two different meanings.

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HIV stands for Human
Immunodeficiency Virus. This is a
virus that attacks the body’s immune
system. A person becomes infected
with HIV (HIV positive (infected))
when the virus enters their blood
stream.
HIV attacks the body’s immune
system. If it is not treated, HIV
damages the immune system so
that it is no longer able to fight off
common infections and the person
is at great risk of illness and even
death. This is the condition known
as AIDS, the Acquired Immune
Deficiency Syndrome.
Being diagnosed with HIV does not
necessarily mean a person has AIDS
or that they are going to die. Even
without treatments, many people
can live with HIV for a long time.
In addition, improved treatments
are available which slow down the
damage to the immune system that
leads to AIDS. With treatments,
many people with HIV are able to
remain well, and continue to live
healthy, busy and fulfilling lives.
1.4 How can I find out if I
have HIV?
You can find out by having a blood
test. HIV can usually be detected
within three months after becoming
infected. In some cases you may be
asked to have a second blood test
to confirm the test result.
This test is available free at sexual
health clinics located all over
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Australia. At sexual health clinics
you do not have to give your name
or have a Medicare card. The test is
also available from your doctor.
Strict confidentiality is guaranteed
at all times. Confidentiality means
that any information a health or HIV/
AIDS organisation has about you
is private, and they can't give that
information to other people without
your permission.
1.5 How is HIV transmitted
HIV is found in body fluids such as
blood, semen, vaginal fluids and
breast milk. Infection with HIV can
only occur when body fluids from
an infected person enters the blood
stream of another person.
HIV CAN BE Transmitted by:
• Sex without a condom
(unprotected sex).
• Sharing needles, syringes and
other equipment for injecting drugs.
• Unsterile body piercing or
tattooing.
• Mother to child during pregnancy,
childbirth or breast feeding.
• Blood transfusion and/or blood
products (in Australia blood
products have been screened for
HIV since 1985).
HIV CANNOT BE transmitted by:
Coughing; kissing; sneezing;
spitting; crying; sharing cutlery and
crockery; bed linen; toilets, showers;
or through any form of casual
contact
Insects such as mosquitoes DO
NOT transmit HIV.
1.6 How do I know if
someone has HIV/AIDS?
You can’t tell just by looking if
someone has HIV/AIDS. Most
people who have the virus look
healthy and have no symptoms. It
may take several years before the
symptoms of AIDS begin to show.
In fact, many people who have HIV
don’t know it themselves.
1.7 Traveling Overseas
HIV/AIDS is present in every country
of the world. Wherever you are
traveling you should always use
condoms and water-based lubricant
when having sex (safe sex) and not
share needles and other injecting
equipment. Safe sex and safe
injecting will protect you and your
partner from becoming infected with
HIV/AIDS.
1.8 Using Interpreters
Medical care, services and
information can be hard to find if
you don’t speak or understand
English. However, you can have an
interpreter present when you are
talking with health care workers
or other services. The interpreter’s
job is to translate everything that
you and your service provider say
to each other. An interpreter does
not contribute to the discussion
in any other way. Interpreters are
obliged by law to maintain your
confidentiality.
Ask the health service for an
interpreter if they do not offer one.
Telephone interpreters are also
available anywhere in Australia.
A telephone link will be provided
between you, your service provider
and an interpreter. This is called TIS.

If you want to speak to TIS

call 131 450

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ORGANISATION MULTICULTURAL HIV/AIDS AND HEPATITIS C SERVICES DATE PUBLISHED 18/12/03