HIV/AIDS EducationHIV/AIDS Education

All Stats come from the CDC All Stats come from the CDC

What is HIVWhat is HIV

Human Human – This virus infects human – This virus infects human beings beings

ImmunodeficiencyImmunodeficiency – This virus attacks a – This virus attacks a person’s immune system, causing it to person’s immune system, causing it to become deficient and not work become deficient and not work properly.properly.

VirusVirus – A virus is a type of germ. Viruses – A virus is a type of germ. Viruses need living cells to grow and reproduce.need living cells to grow and reproduce.

What is AIDS?What is AIDS? AcquiredAcquired – This is a condition that is acquired, – This is a condition that is acquired,

meaning that a person becomes infected with meaning that a person becomes infected with it.it.

ImmuneImmune – This condition affects a person’s – This condition affects a person’s immune system, the part of the body in immune system, the part of the body in charge of fighting off germs such as bacteria charge of fighting off germs such as bacteria or viruses.or viruses.

DeficiencyDeficiency – The immune system is weakened – The immune system is weakened and does not work properly.and does not work properly.

SyndromeSyndrome- A person with AIDS may - A person with AIDS may experience many other diseases and infections experience many other diseases and infections due to their weakened immune system.due to their weakened immune system.

AIDS is the condition that is AIDS is the condition that is caused by HIVcaused by HIV

You can have HIV and not have AIDSYou can have HIV and not have AIDS The illness of AIDS is the last stage of HIVThe illness of AIDS is the last stage of HIV

T-Cell count in normal person is 600-1200T-Cell count in normal person is 600-1200 T-Cell of an AIDS person is <200T-Cell of an AIDS person is <200 A person becomes sick from several A person becomes sick from several

opportunistic diseases or cancers like opportunistic diseases or cancers like tuberculosis, pneumonia, involuntary weight tuberculosis, pneumonia, involuntary weight loss, candidacies and HIV dementia (memory loss, candidacies and HIV dementia (memory impairment).impairment).

Where did it come from?Where did it come from?

Researchers believe that HIV was Researchers believe that HIV was introduced into the human population introduced into the human population when hunters became exposed to when hunters became exposed to infected blood from a subspecies of infected blood from a subspecies of chimpanzees native to west Africa.chimpanzees native to west Africa.

It was first discovered from a man’s It was first discovered from a man’s blood in 1959, from a single virus blood in 1959, from a single virus contracted in the Republic of Congo.contracted in the Republic of Congo.

How do you get HIV?How do you get HIV?

HIV is transmitted during sex, HIV is transmitted during sex, through significant and direct through significant and direct contact with infected blood, contact with infected blood, and from mother to baby.and from mother to baby.

The body fluids containing HIV The body fluids containing HIV include:include:

Blood (including menstrual blood)Blood (including menstrual blood) Semen and possibly pre-seminal fluidSemen and possibly pre-seminal fluid Vaginal secretionsVaginal secretions Breast milkBreast milk

In order for HIV to be In order for HIV to be transmitted:transmitted:

HIV must be presentHIV must be present HIV must get inside the bodyHIV must get inside the body

Sexual behaviors that can transmit Sexual behaviors that can transmit HIV are:HIV are:

Vaginal sex Vaginal sex Anal Sex involving either men or womenAnal Sex involving either men or women Oral sex to either the male or femaleOral sex to either the male or female

Other ways that HIV can be Other ways that HIV can be transmitted are:transmitted are:

Sharing needles when shooting drugsSharing needles when shooting drugs Home tattooing and body piercingHome tattooing and body piercing accidental needle stickaccidental needle stick Blood transfusionsBlood transfusions ChildbirthChildbirth breastfeedingbreastfeeding

It is important to know:It is important to know:

Most people with HIV infection do not Most people with HIV infection do not look sicklook sick

The HIV can not discriminate The HIV can not discriminate between men and women, therefore between men and women, therefore is not a gay diseaseis not a gay disease

HIV is NOT transmitted HIV is NOT transmitted through:through:

Saliva, tears, sweat, feces, or urineSaliva, tears, sweat, feces, or urine HuggingHugging KissingKissing MassageMassage Shaking handsShaking hands Insect bitesInsect bites Living in the same house with someone Living in the same house with someone

who has HIVwho has HIV Sharing showers or toilets with someone Sharing showers or toilets with someone

with HIVwith HIV

To avoid getting HIV:To avoid getting HIV:

Prevent the blood, semen, vaginal Prevent the blood, semen, vaginal fluids, or breast milk of someone who fluids, or breast milk of someone who is infected from entering your body is infected from entering your body through an entry site.through an entry site.

Latex condoms can reduce the risk of Latex condoms can reduce the risk of transmitting HIV during sexual acts, transmitting HIV during sexual acts, but is not 100% effective.but is not 100% effective.

The hardest part of protecting yourself can be learning how to apply what you know to your life and to

your behavior.

Reduce your risk for HIV by avoiding activities that put you at risk and only

practicing safer sex.

Don’t be afraid to get tested or insist that your sexual partner get tested.

How risky is kissing, hugging, How risky is kissing, hugging, and touching?and touching?

KissingKissing

LOW RISK as HIV is not transmitted LOW RISK as HIV is not transmitted through saliva. Tiny amounts of HIV can through saliva. Tiny amounts of HIV can be found in saliva, but it is not enough be found in saliva, but it is not enough to cause HIV infection alone. Serious to cause HIV infection alone. Serious gum disease, along with cuts due to gum disease, along with cuts due to surgery or flossing can pose a very surgery or flossing can pose a very small risk for getting HIV through kissing small risk for getting HIV through kissing alone.alone.

Hugging and TouchingHugging and Touching

LOW RISKLOW RISKHIV is not transmitted through HIV is not transmitted through

casual and ordinary social contact. It is casual and ordinary social contact. It is not shed from the skin or through not shed from the skin or through sweat.sweat.

You You MUSTMUST enter through the bloodstream enter through the bloodstream in order to cause the infection. in order to cause the infection.

If you have cuts or abrasions, avoid If you have cuts or abrasions, avoid contact with infected blood.contact with infected blood.

How risky is oral sex?How risky is oral sex?

The person whose mouth touches the The person whose mouth touches the genitals is at risk if your partner has genitals is at risk if your partner has

HIV. You could come into contact HIV. You could come into contact with this virus through their infected with this virus through their infected

bodily fluids.bodily fluids.

Is HIV still a risk if you’re Is HIV still a risk if you’re faithful to your partner?faithful to your partner?

Being in love, going steady, or even getting Being in love, going steady, or even getting married does not automatically protect married does not automatically protect

you from HIV.you from HIV.The virus doesn’t know how you feel. The virus doesn’t know how you feel.

You can You can only get HIVonly get HIV from coming into from coming into contactcontact with someone who is with someone who is infected.infected.

You can not get HIV if both people are You can not get HIV if both people are uninfected and this has been confirmed uninfected and this has been confirmed

through a blood test.through a blood test.

People don’t always tell the People don’t always tell the truth, and they don’t always truth, and they don’t always

know if they are infected.know if they are infected.

This is true! People often are not honest This is true! People often are not honest about their sexuality or the number of about their sexuality or the number of sexual partners. sexual partners.

You need to be tested a first time, and then You need to be tested a first time, and then again 6 months later to assume that you again 6 months later to assume that you are not infected. You need to build up are not infected. You need to build up enough antibodies to test positive. enough antibodies to test positive.

Is HIV always fatal?Is HIV always fatal?

You can die from other complications You can die from other complications before the HIV infection turns to AIDS before the HIV infection turns to AIDS and takes your life. and takes your life.

There are drugs that HIV patients are There are drugs that HIV patients are taking that allow some of them to taking that allow some of them to live for longer periods of time. How live for longer periods of time. How long? No one really knows, but we do long? No one really knows, but we do know that this treatment is very know that this treatment is very expensive and this disease is expensive and this disease is incurable, therefore can be the cause incurable, therefore can be the cause of an HIV patients death.of an HIV patients death.

The role of drugs & alcohol and The role of drugs & alcohol and HIVHIV

There are many drugs that people use or abuse recreationally. Some are legal, others illegal. The most common being alcohol.

Alcohol impairs people’s judgment. They may take risks that might expose them to HIV that they would not take when sober.

Sharing needles to inject drugs like heroin, speed, or anabolic steroids is VERY dangerous and can easily spread HIV from one person to another

Some people who are addicted to drugs may trade sex for drugs or money to get more drugs. This may also put you at a great risk for HIV.

Where can I get tested for HIV?Where can I get tested for HIV?

-Health Clinic-Health Clinic-Doctors Office-Doctors Office--Home Test $35-$50 Can be Home Test $35-$50 Can be

purchased in a drug storepurchased in a drug store

HIV status is not public information, HIV status is not public information, therefore you can take a test therefore you can take a test anonymously if desired.anonymously if desired.

Every 10 seconds Every 10 seconds someone dies of someone dies of

AIDS.AIDS.It’s real!It’s real!

It’s preventable!It’s preventable!Listen!Listen!