Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What is HIV? What is AIDS?
- How does HIV lead to AIDS?
- How could I become infected with HIV?
- Should I get tested for HIV?
- Where can I get tested?
- What happens to someone who has HIV?
- Is there a cure or vaccine for HIV/AIDS?
- Are there treatments for HIV/AIDS?
- Why is there still so much stigma associated with HIV/AIDS?
AIDS stands for Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome. AIDS is caused by the Human Immuno Deficiency Virus or HIV.
HIV attacks the body's immune system. Over time the immune system weakens to the point that the person experiences health problems. At first the problems may be small, like skin problems or diarrhea. Over time the illnesses become much more serious. A person who is HIV positive is said to have AIDS when he or she develops one or more opportunistic infections (serious illnesses) or certain cancers, which are "AIDS defining".
How could I become infected with HIV?
There are only four body fluids which have enough HIV in them to infect someone:
- Blood
- Semen
- Vaginal Fluids
- Breast Milk
You can't get HIV from any other body fluids such as saliva, tears, urine, feces or sweat. You can't get HIV from hugging, swimming, or sharing food with someone who is HIV positive.
Sex
HIV can be transmitted if you have unprotected oral, vaginal or anal sex with
someone who has HIV, or if you share a sex toy without using new condoms between
partners. Most people who have been infected with HIV contracted it through
unprotected sex. Ways to minimize the risk of contracting HIV through sex include:
abstinence, mutual monogamy, female or male condoms, and dental dams (for oral
sex on a woman). Safe practices include: self-masturbation, petting, kissing,
hugging, massaging, cyber sex, or phone sex.
Needles
Sharing needles with someone who is HIV positive is another way HIV can get
into the blood stream. Safer injection practices include: abstaining from needle
use (smoke or snort instead if needed), ALWAYS use clean needles (never share).
The AIDS Committee gives free needles with no hassles.
Blood Transfusions and Blood Products
Since 1985 all blood products in Canada are tested for HIV. There is no chance
of becoming infected while donating blood in Canada. Remember if you are traveling
outside of Canada and feel you need to know about a countries blood supply,
call your local health unit.
Pregnancy and Breast Feeding
HIV can be passed from a women who is HIV positive to her child during pregnancy
and during delivery. If a women chooses to take the anti-HIV drug therapy, there
is only a 2% chance that her child will become HIV positive. If the treatment
is not taken the rate drastically increases to a 30% chance that the child will
be born with HIV. The long term effects of anti-HIV medication on the child
have not been fully researched. It is also recommended that a mom who is HIV
positive does not breast feed. A women can ask her doctor for an HIV test during
her prenatal testing.
If at anytime you felt that you may have been at-risk of contracting HIV, you should get tested. It is important to wait 3 months after your last risk exposure to get tested. The test can only detect HIV antibodies (not HIV itself). It takes three months for the antibodies to show up on the test.
In Simcoe County you can get anonomyous/nominal HIV testing. For nominal testing see your family doctor. Nominal testing is testing where by a client code is used to process the HIV test rather than the client's name. The results are confidential.
You could get tested at the Simcoe Muskoka and District Health Unit in Barrie or the Health Units in Collingwood, Midland and Orillia. These are anonymous testing sites. Although you have to give a name (doesn't have to be your real one) to the nurse, your name doesn't go on the test. It is actually a code. All results are confidential at the Health Unit. You can call 705-721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520 to make an appointment.
You can also go to any anonymous (no personal information) testing site in Toronto. You can call 1-800-668-2437 to book an appointment. Remember that you will need to go twice, once for your test and once for your results.
No testing site can give you the results over the phone. It is important that you return to get your results. It can be a scary time while you wait for your test and then your results. If you need to talk, give us a call at 705-722-6778 or 1-800-372-2272.
Can I tell if I have HIV? If you have ever thought, "I don't have to worry about using a condom. That guy looks clean. No way he could have a disease (HIV)." Well think again! You can't tell if you have HIV by the way you look or the way you feel. You wouldn't be able to tell if someone else has HIV by looking at them either. In some cases there maybe no symptoms for the first five to ten years of infection. This is why testing is so important.
What happens to someone who has HIV?
After infection, some people may experience flu-like symptoms during seroconversion (when HIV antibodies are being created). Generally people feel well and have no symptoms. This period is called ASYMPTOMATIC. People who have been infected with HIV could remain in this stage for ten years or more. If the person does not know they have been infected (haven't had an HIV test), they could potentially infect other people without knowing it. This is one reason the rate of HIV transmission is so high. Once the immune system begins to weaken from HIV, a person is in the SYMPTOMATIC stage of the illness. Symptoms are very general and can include; chronic fatigue, weight loss, skin problems or diarrhea. Once the person's immune system becomes weakened, illnesses known as "opportunistic infections" begin to attack. Opportunistic infections include; pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) or tuberculosis (TB). An official diagnosis of AIDS in Canada occurs when a person who is HIV positive develops one or more opportunistic infections. A person with AIDS can have relatively good health in between serious illnesses. People can live for a few years with an AIDS diagnosis.
Is there a cure or vaccine for HIV/AIDS?
Currently there is no cure or no vaccine. Most research is focused on vaccine creation. VaxGen, an American company, anticipates a vaccine to be created within the next five years. The vaccine may only be given to people who live in endemic areas such as South Africa once it is newly created.
Are there treatments for HIV/AIDS?
There are medications that are effective in slowing down the process in which HIV attacks the immune system. These drugs are often referred to as "cocktails" or "combination therapy". Usually this form of drug therapy includes a range of different types of drugs, that must be taken on a strict daily timetable. For some people the combination therapy is successful in reducing the amount of virus in the persons system as well as keeping their immune system healthier. This therapy does not work for everyone. Sometimes people forget to take their medication every day. This could cause them to build up a drug resistant strain of HIV. This means that the medication they are taking will no longer work properly. Adverse side affects to the medication may also reduce the time someone is able to take the medication. Side affects are different for each individual and vary from medication to medication. It is recommended that you discuss potential drug side effects with your doctor. People may use complimentary therapies. Therapies include acupuncture and massage. These types of therapies may reduce stress and improve immune function.
Why is there still so much stigma associated with HIV/AIDS?
People fear what they don't know. Although there is much more education about HIV/AIDS some people still believe that only certain types of people contract HIV. It is only gay men or injection drug users that get HIV. That it is their fault they got HIV. We know that this is simply not the truth. We would never blame someone for getting a cold, when they knew they might be putting themselves at risk by sitting next to someone who has a cold. So why is it so easy to judge people who are living with HIV? History of human ignorance. Traditionally humans have systematically stigmatized and destroyed what we fear. So why would HIV be any different. Education is the key to change. People of all walks of life are infected and/or affected by HIV. As the number of people infected with HIV increases so does the number of people that HIV has affected. Lives in Simcoe County have been touched. It is a disease like any other. Communities need to learn to show their compassion instead of their fear. Things will change. It can happen.