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The Facts
HIV can only be transmitted in three ways:
- by sexual contact (semen, vaginal, oral, or anal) with an infected
person
- by direct exposure to infected blood such as in sharing needles
(for drugs, steroids, tattooing, body piercing)
- from an infected mother to her child during pregnancy, childbirth
or breastfeeding
HIV cannot be spread by:
- touching
- kissing
- sneezing
- sharing office equipment or household items
You can protect yourself from HIV, the virus that
causes AIDS. The first step in eliminating your risk to HIV infection
is to avoid any contact with blood, semen, and vaginal secretions.
Abstinence from sexual activity that involves any of these bodily
fluids is the best way to protect yourself.
If you choose to be sexually
active, then using a latex condom or dental dam to create a
barrier between your body and your partner's semen, vaginal secretions,
and/or blood will greatly reduce your risk to HIV infection as well
as other STDs.
Other HIV prevention strategies include:
- Never share needles
- Avoid alcohol and other drug use which may make you unable or
less likely to practice safer sex.
Your Responsibility
Using visual cues to assess a partner's "safety"
will do nothing to keep you free from STD or HIV infection. You
should consider taking the HIV antibody test if you have...
- had sexual intercourse (vaginal or anal) without using a condom
- come into contact with your partner's vaginal secretions, blood,
or semen while engaging in any other sexual activity (e.g. oral
sex)
- shared needles with another person for injecting drugs, steroids,
or vitamins, or for body piercing or tattooing
- been under the influence of alcohol or drugs and can't remember
if you had sex or whether you practiced safer sex
- It is your responsibility to find out your HIV status, both
for protecting your own health and that of current or future sexual
partners.
HIV Antibody Test
The only way to ascertain your HIV status is to
take an HIV anitbody test. A health educator or testing counselor
can answer your questions or concerns before you decide to take
the actual test.
The HIV Antibody Test (or ELISA) is the most commonly
used test to determine a person's HIV status. It looks for the presence
of antibodies produced by the body in response to the human immunodeficiency
virus. The testing method of using the ELISA, and combining it with
another test called the Western Blod to confirm positive results,
is considered almost 100% accurate.
The period between infection and the point at which
the ELISA can detect antibodies is called the window period. Antibodies
usually become detectable within 3 months. There is a small number
of people for whom antibodies are not detectable until 6 months
after infection. Therefore, to be able to trust the accuracy of
the test results, you need to wait at least three months and up
to six months from the point of possible infection and your test
date.
If you decide to test during a window period, remember
that the test results are telling you about your HIV status for
the prior 3-6 months, not your current status. For information about
your current HIV status, you will need to return in another 3-6
months to retest. You must also not engage in any other activities
that could put you at risk for HIV infection (e.g. uprotected sex,
sharing needles), or the subsequent results will again provide only
limited information about your HIV status.
The Bottom Line
There is still no cure for HIV or AIDS, the full-blown
disease caused by the virus. However, with all the advances in treatment
for individuals with HIV or AIDS, it is even more important to get
tested if you believe that you might be infected. Early treatment
intervention, as well as individual steps taken for healthier living,
are critical elements in limiting the progression of the disease.
If you would like to be tested for the HIV virus
you can obtain a list of testing centers from the UCI Health Education
Center. The UCI Health Education Center also offers free
anonymous testing.
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