1• What is HIV and how is it transmitted?
HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus and it is the
virus that causes AIDS. People with HIV have what is called
HIV infection. The most common ways that HIV is transmitted
are by having unprotected sexual intercourse with an HIV
infected person, by sharing needles or injection equipment
with an injecting drug user who is infected with HIV, from HIV
infected women to their babies during pregnancy, delivery or
breastfeeding and finally through transfusions of infected blood.
HIV is not transmitted through normal, day-to-day contact.
2• What is AIDS? What causes AIDS?
AIDS – the Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome – is the
late stage of infection caused by the Human
Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
A person who is infected with HIV can look and feel healthy
for a long time before signs of AIDS appear. But HIV weakens
the body's defense (immune) system until it can no longer
fight off infections such as pneumonia, diarrhea, tumours,
cancers and other illnesses.
Today there are medical treatments that can slow down the
rate at which HIV weakens the immune system (anti-retroviral
treatment). There are other treatments that can prevent or
cure some of the illnesses associated with AIDS, though the
treatments do not cure AIDS itself. As with other diseases, early
detection offers more options for treatment and preventative
health care.
3• Can I get AIDS from "casual contact"
with an infected person?
No. This means that it is OK to play sports and work together,
shake hands, hug friends or kiss them on the cheek or hands,
sleep in the same room, breathe the same air, share drinking
and eating utensils and towels, use the same showers or
toilets, use the same washing water and swim in the same
swimming pool. You cannot get infected through spitting,
sneezing or coughing or through tears or sweat, or through
bites from mosquitoes or other insects.
4• Can someone infected with HIV look
healthy?
There is no way of knowing whether someone is infected just
by looking at them. A man or woman you meet at work, at
school, in a sports stadium; in a bar or on the street might be
carrying HIV – and look completely healthy. But during this
time of apparent health, he or she can infect someone else.
Σ 5• Is there a cure for HIV/AIDS ?
There is no cure for HIV/AIDS. Although some very strong
drugs are now being used to slow down the disease, they
do not get rid of HIV or cure AIDS. The drug treatments are
called Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapies (HAART).
They are a mix of drugs that help to reduce the level
of HIV in the blood. HAART can help to slow down HIV and
keep some people healthy longer. Even though HAART
work better than anything else so far, they do have some
problems. They do not work for all people and it is not
sure how well they will work over time, considering their
high price and significant adverse effects.
6• Is there a “morning after” pill that
prevents HIV infection?
You may have heard about a morning after pill for HIV. In fact
this is Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP). It is not a single pill,
and it does not prevent HIV/AIDS. PEP is a 4 week treatment
that may reduce the risk of acquiring HIV for people who
have been exposed to the virus. It does not eliminate the risk.
So far, PEP has mostly been used to treat health care workers
who have been exposed to HIV at work. Right now, there is
no proof that PEP works, or that it is safe. PEP is not at all a
solution to prevent HIV transmission.
Σ7• What should I do to protect myself
from HIV?
Since there is no vaccine to protect people against getting
infected with HIV, and there is no cure for AIDS the only
certain way to avoid AIDS is to prevent getting infected
with HIV in the first place. The best prevention method is
the adoption of safe sex behaviour. Safe sex includes using
a condom – but, using a condom correctly, and using one
every time you have sex. You should learn how to use
condoms and how to negotiate the use of condoms with
your partner. For information about effective and healthy
use of condoms, you should consult health services for
young people and pharmacies. (Please also see:
http://www.unaids.org/hivaidsinfo/faq/condom.html)
8• What are the risks of getting HIV
through injecting drug use?
The only way to be sure you are protected against HIV is not
to inject drugs at all. If you do inject drugs, you can avoid the
very high risk of being exposed to HIV by always using sterile,
un-used needles and syringes, and using them only once.
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