HIV and AIDS

What is it?

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency virus) is the virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immune-Deficiency Syndrome). When a person becomes HIV +, s/he is said to have HIV disease. AIDS is the final stage of HIV disease.

HIV attacks your body's immune system, eventually leaving it too weak to fight of certain infections -- people with healthy immune systems can fight these infections; those with HIV might not be able to. There are specific illnesses (infections/cancers) that are called either "AIDS"-defining" illnesses or Opportunistic Infections (OIs)

When a person who is HIV+ develops/acquires one of these OIs, s/he is said to have AIDS.

It can take on average about 10 years for someone to show classic HIV disease symptoms -- for some, it can happen more quickly, for others it can take even longer. Because of the large amount of time one can be HIV+ and not show symptoms:

THE ONLY WAY TO REALLY KNOW IF YOU ARE HIV+ IS TO GET TESTED!!!!!

It can take up to 12 weeks after becoming infected, before the body makes enough antibodies to give an accurate HIV test.

Rule of thumb: An HIV test given today will tell you your HIV status as of 12 weeks prior.

That is why it is important to wait 12 weeks from your last possible exposure to be sure your test result is accurate. For more information on why it is important for EVERYONE to get tested for HIV, view the following video created by an HIV specialist: Why EVERY person should be tested for HIV by their doctor

Are there early symptoms of HIV that occur?

Between 40-90% of people with HIV developed minor symptoms 2-4 weeks after being infected with HIV. Symptoms resemble a minor flu (possibly fever, and/or rash) and go away after a week or two. Please view the following video, entitled: Did I Just Contract HIV? Symptoms of Primary HIV Infection for more information.

HOW IS IT TRANSMITTED?

You can only get HIV by having the virus enter your blood stream.

The ONLY five body fluids that can transmit HIV are:

BLOOD

SEMEN (and pre-cum / pre-ejaculatory fluid)

VAGINAL FLUIDS

RECTAL FLUIDS

BREAST MILK

The activities that allow for the transmission of HIV are:

Check out the Safer Sex Menu for more detailed information about various activities (Warning: frank terminology/slang is used)

Unprotected Sex (Vaginal, Anal, or Oral): Vaginal and Anal Sex are both high risk if no condom is used, and low risk if a condom is used. Oral sex is a lower risk activity (with or without a condom) --- HIV can still be transmitted via unprotected oral sex, just not as effciiently as with vaginal or anal sex. For more information on the risks associated with oral sex, please contact the HIV educator (education@aidsguelph.org)

Sharing Needles for any reason(eg. illicit drugs, insulin, steroids, tattoos, piercing, etc.): Using drugs themselves does not spread HIV, but sharing needles does. You can eliminate the risk of acquiring HIV from the above activities by never sharing needles or drug related works (cookers, spoons, filters, water) with anyone else. You can access these products at any needle exchange site

Mother to Child Transmission (during gestation, delivery, or via breast milk): The likelihood of MTCT without any medical intervention is around 25-30%. With access to current treatments and other medical interventions this risk can be reduced to around 1%!

Receiving Blood/Blood Products (Transfusion) : In North America this risk has been all but eliminated with current blood screening practices. The estimated risk of acquiring HIV from the blood supply has been reduced to 1 in 1.6 million. There has not been a case of transfusion acquired HIV infection since 1986 when every unit of blood began to be tested.

HIV CANNOT BE TRANSMITTED FROM CASUAL CONTACT including:

hugging, kissing, shaking hands, sharing food/utensils, toilet seats, mosquitoes, etc.