The Facts on HIV - Get Informed. Get Tested

What are HIV and AIDS?  HIV is the (H)uman( I)mmunodeficiency (V)irus. It is the virus that can lead to (A)cquired( I)mmune (D)eficiency (S)yndrome, or AIDS. There are two types of HIV, HIV-1 and HIV-2. In the United States, unless otherwise noted, the term “HIV” primarily refers to HIV-1. Both types of HIV damage a person’s body by destroying specific blood cells, called CD4+ T cells, which are crucial to helping the body fight diseases. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
There are many misconceptions about HIV. Watch this video:

HIV is NOT a gay disease. The truth is that 16,000 people worldwide are infected with HIV every single day (World Health Organization). They are not all gay. In the United States, HIV infection rates have held steady at 40,000 per year, but recent preliminary data suggests those rates are on the rise. Again, they are not all gay. In fact GLBT infections only contribute to less then 30 percent of all infections in the United States.

One in five (1:5) Black men contract HIV. One in thirty (1:30) Black women contract HIV on a daily basis.  It is a major stigmatism in the African American community. Many African Americans are fearful about the reactions from their peers and keep their status quite.

Do you know your HIV status and when was the last time you were tested? Every time you have unprotected sex with a partner you are five times (5x)  more likely to contract HIV. The percentage is 55 percent that you contract HIV from an infected sexual partner the first time. Many individuals do not find out that they are HIV Positive tell months or over a year later. Some even when tested can get a false negitive just after infection and when return several weeks later can only then find out that they tested positive for HIV.
Sharing needles or reusing needles puts you at risk. If you are a drug user and using needles from others you are a great risk of contracting HIV.

Know that the tests for HIV are getting better, but they are not perfict and not absolute. If you get tested and show a positive status, it is best that you get tested again.

The bottom line is getting tested. Get tested if you are sexually active, or a drug user sharing needles at a minimum of every six months. There is no way of knowing that you have contracted HIV tell it is to late. If you feel that you had unprotected sex with someone you suspect has HIV then you must contact your doctor within 48 hours or the is no options to stop the spread of the disease in your system.

There currently is a retroviral prevention treatment for HIV, called “post exposure prophylaxis”, it is the Treatment, subjected to taking drugs and  typically involves such drugs as Zidovudine, commonly known by its trade name, AZT. However it is not proven to be successful and can be very painful and last for 30 days or more.

It is recommended that the only prevention to HIV is either abstinence or use of a condom.

Do you know someone that has HIV or AIDS? HIV is becoming very common in the community that you could be living near, shopping next to, working out with, hanging out with a HIV infected person and not even know they are Positive. Unless the person chooses to tell you of their status there is currently no outward physical signs of an infected HIV person.

HIV today is not a death sentence. With the invention of better medications such as Atripla (A-trip-la). (click here),  and Truvada (Tru-vad-a) (click here) and 28 others HIV has become a desease that no longer has the deaths that were shown in the 1980’s/90’s. (see medication chart – here)

Know that the stigmatism is still there. Being a Homosexual man with HIV is tough even in the GLBT community. Many GLBT that do not have HIV avoid or discriminate Positive (or term “Poz) men and women in fear that even being close to Poz individuals would give them HIV and some have even shown hostility to Poz individuals when their status is known.

Ultimately your risk to contract the disease is minimal if steps are taken when having sex. Know that a person on medication reduces the risk of spreading the disease to less than one percent. The myth that having oral sex will give you HIV is untrue. HIV needs optimum conditions to live and the Hydro-chloride in your saliva kills the disease on contact. Best that you do not brush  your teeth/gums or use mouth wash before having sex with an HIV infected person. This enables your body to keep the natural protections in your mouth.

December is National HIV Awareness Month. Take the time to be educated on HIV, get tested and support your local HIV programs. It is YOUR personal responsibility to do so and not “the other guy”.