FAQ about AIDS

Q1) What is HIV?

--> HIV is a virus that attacks the body's immune system - the body's defence against diseases.

Q2) Are HIV and AIDS the same?

--> No. When someone is described as living with HIV, they have the HIV virus in their body. A person is considered to have developed AIDS when the immune system is so weak it can no longer fight off a range of diseases with which it would normally cope.

Q3) How is HIV passed on?

--> HIV can be passed on through infected blood, semen, vaginal fluids or breast milk.

The most common ways HIV is passed on are:

* Sex without a condom with someone living with HIV
* Sharing infected needles, syringes or other injecting drug equipment
* From an HIV-positive mother (to her child) during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding (but with effective treatment and care the risk of transmission can be greatly reduced)

Q4) I don't know anyone with HIV... do I?

--> Today there are more people than ever before living with HIV in the UK, but less people report knowing someone with HIV. People with HIV generally look healthy and many do not find it easy to tell other people, so you may not realise if someone you know if HIV positive. To learn more about the different groups of people affected by HIV view the statistics.


Q5) Is there a cure for HIV?

--> No, but treatment can keep the virus under control and the immune system healthy. People on HIV treatment can live a healthy, active life, although they may experience side effects from the treatment. If HIV is diagnosed late, treatment may be less effective.

Q6) How can I protect myself and others from HIV infection?

--> Always use a condom when having vaginal or anal sex. You also may want to use a condom or dental dam during oral sex although the risk of transmission of HIV is much lower. You can get free condoms from a sexual health clinic, which you can locate at via the fpa website. Never share needles, syringes or any other injecting equipment.

1st December, Something about HIV/AIDS

It is important for everyone to get the facts, talk about HIV/AIDS with partners and loved ones, reduce risk behaviors, and get tested to learn their HIV status.

It's not always easy, but we all must be willing to talk about sex. To protect yourself, you need to understand how a person gets HIV or passes it to someone else. HIV can be passed on when blood, semen (cum), pre-seminal fluid (pre-cum), vaginal fluid, or breast milk from a person who has HIV enters the body of a person who does not have HIV.

The most common ways that HIV is transmitted from one person to another.

• By having sex (anal, vaginal, or oral) with a person who has HIV infection;
• By sharing needles, syringes, or other injection equipment with a person who injects drugs and has HIV; or
• From women with HIV to their babies before or during birth, or through breast-feeding after birth.

Three critical ways of reducing your risk of getting HIV.

• Don't have sex at all (anal, vaginal, and oral sex).
• Only have sex (anal, vaginal, or oral) if you are in a mutually monogamous relationship and you have both tested negative for HIV.
• Use a condom every time you have anal, vaginal, or oral sex.

Other ways you can protect yourself from getting HIV and other STDs.

• Reduce your number of sex partners; this will reduce your risk of getting HIV as well as other STDs.
• Have ongoing and open discussions with your partners about their sexual histories, drug use, and HIV testing behaviors; honesty plays a key role in respectful, mature sexual relationships.
• Encourage all sexual partners to get tested for HIV and make sure they tell you the results.
• Get tested for STDs that could put you at greater risk for becoming infected with HIV.
• If you have an STD, get treatment.
• If you are a man who has sex with other men or if you engage in anal sex, get vaccinated against hepatitis A and B viruses.
• Tell others about the severity of the HIV epidemic in the United States—encourage them to get the facts, protect themselves and those they love, and get tested.

Tips for talking about sex and HIV with your partner.

• Set up a mutually convenient time to talk to your partner.
• Make sure you are in a relaxed environment so your partner doesn't feel pressured or "cornered."
• Talk about your concerns from a personal perspective. In other words, use "I" statements instead of "you" statements which might sound accusatory or blaming.

If you need help gaining the skills to protect yourself from HIV or if you would like to know what other people just like you are doing to protect themselves, you may want to contact a local HIV Prevention organization. Search the CDC National Prevention Information Network organization database.