MYTHS AND FACTS ABOUT HIV AND AIDS; HIV TRANSMISSION AND PREVENTION

What is HIV? HIV means Human immunodeficiency virus. Immunodeficiency means

progressive failure of the immune system. AIDS means acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

AIDS is the last phase of the HIV infection. AIDS is just a condition. It’s important to note here

that HIV is not a disease, it’s an infection and there is a difference between these two terms. HIV

destroys the immune system with time. It prevents the human body from fighting against

diseases that a healthy body wouldn’t have problems with. With time, diseases become more and

more serious. It can take from 6 months to 10 years in order for HIV to become AIDS. In this

period, there may not be any symptoms of HIV at all. That’s why it’s really hard to detect the

virus. But how can we detect it then? With blood tests. But again, nothing is guaranteed. The

virus spreads through the body very fast, but it takes from 6 weeks to 6 months for our body to

produce antibodies which can fight the virus. This period is called the window-period. And here

comes the problem: HIV blood tests do not detect the virus, they detect the antibodies. Most

people produce antibodies for about 3 months, so it’s better to be tested about 3 months after you

had a sexual interaction.

How can we get infected with HIV and what are the facts and myths about HIV? There are 5

body fluids through which HIV can be transmitted - semen (cum), pre-seminal fluid (pre-cum),

rectal fluid, vaginal fluid, and breast milk. The transmission can happen only if two of these

fluids make continuous contact. So no, you cannot get HIV from pools, dirty towels, sweat, tears,

saliva – kissing, sharing toilets food or drinks or pets and you can totally hug a person living

with HIV. You may ask but what if there is blood on my towel or somewhere else. Well, the

virus can last in the air exactly 3 seconds so there is no way of getting infected like that. Another

interesting fact is that it will take 10 liters of saliva in order for HIV to be transmitted; even a
llama cannot produce that amount of saliva. And what if a mosquito bites me, it carries blood?

Well, the amount of blood that the insect carries is so tiny that it’s not enough for transmission of

the virus.

ABOUT THE PREVENTION

I said that HIV can be transmitted only through 5 fluids. How can we protect ourselves. Always

use condoms, this is your right. Always use sterile needles if you’re getting tested, getting

tattooed or whatever. It’s your own right to ask the doctor or tattooist to open the new needles in

front of you. There are many cases in which people get infected with HIV from getting a tattoo.

Get tested. Since there are no symptoms of HIV it’s important to test yourself, because if you’re

HIV positive you can prevent your kids from getting HIV. Babies of HIV positive parents are

born without HIV but HIV can be transmitted through breast milk. So it’s important for the

mother to be tested before breast-feeding the baby. AIDS cannot be cured, at least for the

moment. But HIV can be treated. There are about 37 million people in the world living with HIV

and taking their treatment and living normal lives. And these people are only the registered.

Imagine how many people have no idea that they are living with HIV.