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HIV and AIDS

How do people
become
infected with
HIV?

HIV is a blood-borne
virus in that it is
transmitted through
body fluids
containing blood or
plasma. Transmission
of HIV can occur
sexually or non-
sexually through the
exchange of body
fluids infected with a
high concentration
of the virus, mainly
blood, semen,
vaginal secretions
and breast milk.
Transmission is
especially effective
during activities that
involve "sealed
penetration" i.e.,
anal or vaginal
intercourse, and
needle sharing.

HIV is transmitted
through:

Sexual
contact
Unprotected
anal, vaginal,
oral
intercourse
with an
infected
partner
Blood
Needle
sharing with
an infected
person for any
reason
(injectable
drug needles,
steroid
needles, ear
piercing,
tattoos)
Receiving a
blood
transfusion
with infected
blood (since
1985 all blood
collected in
the US has
been
screened for
HIV)
Accidents in
health (i.e.
needle stick)
Perinatal
Intrauterine
(during
pregnancy,
0.5 - 30%)
Peripartum
(during birth)
Breast
feeding

HIV is a fragile virus

and will not survive
outside the body
long enough for
transmission from
the air, in water or
other surfaces. There
is no chance of
transmitting HIV
through sexual
activities that do not
involve direct
contact of semen,
vaginal secretions, or
blood with mucous
membranes.

The AIDS virus is

NOT spread
through the air, in
food, or by casual
social contact. You
cannot become
infected with HIV by
someone coughing
or sneezing on you,
by sharing cups or
pencils, by
swimming in a pool
with an infected
person, or by
shaking hands,
hugging or kissing
an infected person.
Although small
amounts of HIV have
been found in body
fluids like saliva,
feces, urine, tears,
and sweat, there is
little scientific
evidence to suggest
that HIV can spread
through these body
fluids.

Some people
become infected
with HIV the first
time they get
infected fluid in their
bodies. Others are
exposed and not
infected. However,
even if you are not
infected by the virus
after one exposure,
you may still
become infected by
a subsequent
exposure. The more
times you are
exposed to HIV, the
greater chance of
getting the infection.
If you do not have
HIV, you have
everything to gain
by protecting
yourself now. If you
have been infected,
subsequent
exposure to the virus
can negatively
impact your health.

HOW CAN I
TELL IF I HAVE
HIV?
Many people do not
know they have the
virus and may
unknowingly pass it
on to others. They
may look and feel
fine for many years
after HIV infection
occurs.

You cannot tell if you

are infected by how
good you feel. You
cannot tell if your
partner is infected
by how good they
look. While talking
to your partner is
sensible, you cannot
completely rely on
what your partner
tells you about their
HIV status. A major
national study has
revealed that 40% of
college men and
20% of college
women will lie about
their sexual histories
in order to have sex.

The only way to

know if you (or your
partner) have the
virus is by taking
either a blood or an
oral swab test called
the "HIV antibody
test".

WHAT IS THE
HIV
ANTIBODY
TEST?
What many people
called the "AIDS"
test is not a test for
AIDS, but for the
antibodies of HIV.
Once infected with
HIV, the immune
system produces
antibodies in an
attempt to defend
itself against HIV.
The test identifies
these antibodies.
Therefore the test is
accurately called the
"HIV antibody test".

SHOULD I BE
TESTED?
Have you:

Had
unprotected
sex?
Had sex with
someone who
may have
been exposed
to HIV?
Failed to use
condoms
correctly for
every sex act
or with every
partner?
Shared
needles?
Had more
than one sex
partner?
If you answered
"yes" to any of these
questions, there is a
chance you could be
infected with HIV. An
HIV antibody test
should be accurate
within three months
after your last
potential exposure
to HIV.

You also might want

to get tested if you
are in a committed,
mutually
monogamous
relationship in which
you and your partner
want to safely
engage in
unprotected sex.
Because of the time
it takes to develop
detectable levels of
antibodies, the test
results will only be
reliable if neither of
you has engaged in
risky behaviors
within the past three
months. In addition,
as has been
discussed, this is
only as safe as the
honesty between
you and your
partner.

WHAT KIND
OF TEST WILL
I HAVE?
Accurate testing for
HIV antibodies may
require two different
tests, the ELISA
(enzyme linked
immunosorbent
assay) and the
Western Blot. These
tests can now be
done using either
saliva or blood.

The ELISA detects

almost all persons
infected with HIV
within the first three
months of infection.
In a small number of
cases the test may
show the presence
of infection when the
test result is caused
by something other
than HIV (false
positive). Therefore,
positive ELISA
screening tests are
confirmed by the
more specific
Western Blot test
before a blood or
oral specimen is
considered HIV
positive.

WHAT DO
THE TEST
RESULTS
MEAN?
A negative test
result means you do
not have detectable
levels of antibodies
to the HIV virus.
However, the
immune system can
take up to three
months after
infection to develop
detectable
antibodies to HIV. If
you have engaged in
any risky behavior
during the three
months prior to your
test, a negative
result may not be
accurate and you
should be retested
at three months.

A negative test
result does NOT
mean that you are
immune to AIDS or
HIV, or that you
cannot become
infected with HIV in
the future. A positive
test result means
that you have been
infected with HIV
and you can transmit
the virus. A positive
test is not a
diagnosis of AIDS.

WHAT ARE
THE
SYMPTOMS
OF HIV
INFECTION?
The symptoms of
HIV infection are the
symptoms of the
diseases that attack
the body because of
a weakened immune
system. Most of the
following symptoms
are not specific to
HIV infection.
However, if you have
any of these
symptoms for long
periods of time
without the presence
of another disease or
condition, you
should consult a
medical provider.

Fever that
lasts from a
few days to
longer than a
month
Periods of
excessive
sweating,
especially at
night
Loss of
appetite
Chronic or
long lasting
fatigue
Unexplained
weight loss of
more than
10% of body
weight
Muscle and
joint pain
Unexplained
long lasting
sore throat
Unexplained
swollen lymph
glands
Diarrhea
lasting longer
than a month
with no other
disease
Lingering
infections
As the immune
system becomes
more compromised,
the HIV infected
person may acquire
opportunistic
diseases such as
Kaposi's sarcoma,
Pneumocystis carinii
pneumonia,
tuberculosis,
neurological
disorders such as
meningitis, and
herpes simplex
infections. At this
point, the HIV
infected person is
diagnosed with
AIDS.

WHAT IS
AIDS?
AIDS stand for
Acquired
Immunodeficiency
Syndrome. AIDS is a
serious disease
caused by infection
with the human
immunodeficiency
virus (HIV). HIV
attacks the body's
immune system. The
healthy immune
system produces
white blood cells
and antibodies
which attack
infectious agents
such as viruses and
bacteria that enter
the body and cause
disease. In a person
with AIDS, HIV has
entered the blood's
infection fighting
white blood cells
and over several
years has destroyed
the cells. HIV can
live in an infected
person's body for
years before any
signs of illness
appear. Yet, as the
number of white
blood cells declines,
the immune system
becomes less and
less able to protect
itself against a
variety of illnesses.
The infected person
becomes more
susceptible to
opportunistic
infections or cancers
that attack the body
and can cause
death.

HOW IS HIV
INFECTION
(AIDS)
TREATED?
The full disease state
of AIDS is associated
with life-threatening
infectious disease
and cancers.
Treatment usually
depends on the
particular disease. It
is important to seek
treatment as soon as
you know you are
infected with the
virus and before you
have any visible
signs of the disease.
The full effects of
HIV infection (AIDS)
may appear 10-15
years after the
original infection
with the virus. As
advances are made
in the treatments of
HIV-associated
illness and immune
disorders, it
becomes
increasingly
beneficial for people
infected with HIV to
know early whether
or not they have the
disease. Early
detection will allow
your health care
provider to advise
you about health
practices that may
prolong your life.

IF I AM
POSITIVE
HOW CAN I
PREVENT
TRANSMITTING
THE VIRUS TO
OTHERS?
Practice safer
sex
Avoid
"sharing"
semen, blood,
or vaginal
secretion in
any way
Tell sexual
partners to be
screened for
HIV
Avoid sharing
needles
Avoid
donating
blood,
plasma,
semen, or
body parts
(tissue organ
donor)
Avoid
pregnancy, or
actively plan
ahead after
consultation
with your
doctors
Sources: The HIV
Antibody Test, The
American College
Health Association;
HIV Negative,
American Social
Health Association;
"AIDS: Scientific
Progress But No
Cure in Sight,"
Chemical and
Engineering News,
July 5 (1993): 20-27;
reviewed OHP /
Duke SHC, 2003

WHAT IS THE
ASYMPTOMATIC
PERIOD FOR
AIDS
SYMPTOMS?
The asymptomatic
period is the time
between infection
and the onset of
symptoms of
disease. This period
between HIV
infection and the
onset of AIDS can
vary anywhere from
six months to an
unknown period of
time. Some people
who are HIV
antibody positive
may never develop
AIDS. CDC has
stated that the
average length of
incubation at this
time is ten to fifteen
years or more,
however, this
number continues to
change due to
various factors.

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