POWER OF HIV & AIDS

HIV (human immune-deficiency virus) is a virus that attacks the immune system, the body's natural defense system. Without a strong immune system, the body has trouble fighting off disease. HIV infects and destroys certain white blood cells called CD4+ cells. If too many CD4+ cells are destroyed, the body can no longer defend itself against infection. Having HIV does not mean you have AIDS. Even without treatment, it takes a long time for HIV to progress to AIDS-usually 10 to 12 years depending on the individual’s immune system.

MODE OF TRANSMISSION

HIV can spread only in certain body fluids from a person infected with HIV: 

·  Blood

·  Semen

·  Pre-seminal fluids

·  Rectal fluids

·  Vaginal fluids

·  Breast milk

The spread of HIV (called HIV transmission) is only possible if these fluids come in contact with a mucous membrane or damaged tissue or are directly injected into the bloodstream (from a needle or syringe). Mucous membranes are found inside the rectum, the vagina, the opening of the penis, and the mouth. 

HIV can also spread from an HIV-infected woman to her child during pregnancy, childbirth (also called labor and delivery), or breastfeeding. This spread of HIV is called mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

You can’t get HIV from casual contact with a person infected with HIV, for example from a handshake, a hug, or a closed-mouth kiss. And you can’t get HIV from contact with objects such as toilet seats, doorknobs, or dishes used by a person infected with HIV. 

KISSING

An important thing to note is that HIV is NOT spread through saliva, but through contact between broken skin, wounds, or mucous membranes and HIV-infected blood or blood-contaminated body fluids. HIV can ONLY be transmitted via kissing if both partners have sores or bleeding gums and blood from the HIV positive partner gets into the bloodstream of the negative partner through this broken or sore skin.

IS HIV AIDS?

HIV is not AIDS.

AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome:

§  Acquired means you can get infected with it;

§  Immune Deficiency means a weakness in the body's system that fights diseases.

§  Syndrome means a group of health problems that make up a disease.

Being HIV-positive, or having HIV disease, is NOT the same as having AIDS. Many people are HIV-positive but don't get sick for many years. As HIV disease continues, it slowly wears down the immune system. Viruses, parasites, fungi and bacteria that usually don't cause any problems can make you very sick if your immune system is damaged. These are called "opportunistic infections".  You might not know if you are infected by HIV. Within a few weeks of being infected, some people get fever, headache, sore muscles and joints, stomach ache, swollen lymph glands, or a skin rash for one or two weeks. Most people think it's the flu. Some people have no symptoms.

The virus will multiply in your body for a few weeks or even months before your immune system responds. During this time, you won't test positive for HIV, but you can infect other people.

When your immune system responds, it starts to make antibodies. When this happens, you will test positive for HIV. It attacks the body’s defense system called the CD4 cells. One way to measure the damage to your immune system is to count your CD4 cells you have. These cells, also called "T-helper" cells, are an important part of the immune system. Healthy people have between 500 and 1,500 CD4 cells in a milliliter of blood. If you have less than 200 CD4 cells or if your CD4 percentage is less than 14%, you have AIDS.

At 200 CD4 cells, your body can’t fight infections anymore, be it bacteria, virus etc, the body will be prone to opportunistic infections. With the help of anti retroviral drugs, it can help the body build up some energy to fight infections, in other words, without anti-retroviral therapy the system will get so weak and over powered which leads to death.

PREVENTION

There's no vaccine to prevent HIV infection and no cure for AIDS. But it's possible to protect yourself and others from infection. That means educating yourself about HIV and avoiding any behavior that allows HIV-infected fluids — blood, semen, vaginal secretions and breast milk — into your body.

To help prevent the spread of HIV:

·         USE CONDOMS: If you don't know the HIV status of your partner, use a condom every time you have anal or vaginal sex. Women can use a female condom.

Use only water-based lubricants. Oil-based lubricants can weaken condoms and cause them to break. During oral sex use a non-lubricated, cut-open condom or a dental dam — a piece of medical-grade latex.

·         SHARE YOUR STATUS WITH YOUR PARTNER: It's important to tell anyone with whom you've had sex that you're HIV-positive. Your partners need to be tested and to receive medical care if they have the virus. They also need to know their HIV status so that they don't infect others.

·         USE CLEAN NEEDLES: If you use a needle to inject drugs, make sure it's sterile and don't share it. Take advantage of needle-exchange programs in your community and consider seeking help for your drug use.

·         GET MEDICAL CARE DURING PREGNANCY: If you're HIV-positive, you may pass the infection to your baby. But if you receive treatment during pregnancy, you can cut your baby's risk significantly.