HIV / AIDS

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What is HIV?

HIV is the Human immunodeficiency virus that causes AIDS. This virus may be passed from one person to another by four basic methods:

1) Semen or pre-cum
2) Vaginal fluids
3) Breast milk
4) Blood

How would I get HIV?

When people are having unprotected sex, this causes minor abrasions (small cuts) around the vagina or rectum. During sex, these micro abrasions are exposed and bodily fluids such as cum or pre-cum, vaginal fluids are mixed with the blood from these micro-abrasions, and it creates micro absorption. This is how most HIV is being passed during sex.
Basically a good rule to remember is any mix of blood to blood, blood to cum, cum to blood, or breast milk from an HIV positive mother, are all primary ways to acquire or transmit HIV.

HIV can enter the body through a vein, (e.g. injection drug use), the lining of the anus or rectum, the lining of the vagina and /or cervix, the opening to the penis, the mouth, other mucous membranes (e.g. eyes or inside of the nose), or cuts and sores. Intact healthy skin is an excellent barrier against HIV and other viruses. Condoms when engaging in sexual intercourse, vaginal, anal or oral, can greatly reduce a person’s risk of acquiring or transmitting STDs, including HIV, up to 98%.

What are the symptoms of HIV?

There is no sure way of telling that you have HIV, as the early symptoms do not always show in every person. Some people have flu like symptoms, or a cold sore around the gums. Later on the symptoms can be a dry cough, rapid weight loss, night sweats, fatigue, red or brown blotches under the skin, or memory loss and depression.

What about the test for HIV?

The HIV/PCR DNA qualitative test will detect early HIV infection by looking for the inhibitory substance of the HIV virus itself. This test typically will find HIV between 10 and 14 days after exposure.

The HIV Elisa test looks for the person’s antibody response to the HIV virus. This test will detect HIV between 6 weeks and 6 months of exposure.

At the end of 2003 and estimated 1,039,000 to 1,185,000 persons in the US were living with HIV/AIDS, with 24-27% undiagnosed and unaware of their HIV infection.

In 2004, the estimated number of diagnoses of AIDS in the US was 42,514. Adult and adolescent cases totaled 42,466 with 31,024 cases in males and 11,442 cases in females.

The cumulative estimated number of diagnoses of AIDS through 2004 in the US is 944,305. Adult and adolescent AIDS cases total 934,862 with 756, 399 cases in males and 178, 463 cases in females.