Myths

Four

Common Myths about

HIV and AIDS  

               

1) Can I acquire HIV or AIDS from touching something that someone with the virus has touched? (i.e. a toilet seat, doorknobs, eating off the same plate or spoon/fork)

No! (see p.1)

2) Can I get HIV or AIDS from a mosquito?
No, there have been multiple studies and tests that have proven this to be false.

3) I can’t get HIV from oral sex!

Yes you can. >:[ (see p.1 for more info.)

4) If I’m receiving treatment, I can’t spread HIV/AIDS.

Treatment can only reduce signs of HIV/AIDS, you still have the disease and can give it to anyone at any time.

Treatment can only reduce signs of HIV/AIDS, you still have the disease and can give it to anyone at any time.

How can a person protect themselves?

The most effective way to protect yourself against HIV is to stay abstinent. Avoiding the exchange of blood, semen, and vaginal fluids will make it impossible to acquire HIV. However, it is possible to be born with HIV or acquire it from breast milk.

Condoms have the same amount of protection against HIV as they do against pregnancy and other STDs. They don't always work.

Always get tested. Even if your partner assures you that they do not have HIV, they have no way of knowing for sure. Asking your partner to get tested is a sure way of knowing that they are healthy.

How does HIV/ AIDS affect your Family?


HIV is known  as an illness that affects couples and families not only the individual. This is not only because the virus can be passed on from one person to another, but also because for every person infected with HIV, there is a family and community that are also affected.

• In relationships, the diagnosis of HIV may reveal aspects of a person's behavior that they may have wanted to keep private. This may include infidelity or sexuality (such as male homosexuality) or intravenous drug use. This can result in feelings of guilt, blame and lead to a relationship breakdown.. 
• If more than one person in their family has HIV it can add to the stress and financial part of this disease. 
• If they are HIV positive and the news is kept hidden, there could be some discrimination among the close relatives. But to prevent this from happening; it's best to tell far family members and even the community to get the support they need. 
• If a family has A child with HIV it can be very hard for them to tell the child about their disease. 
• Problems can arise between religious or cultural belief. Because of either their partner situation and or medication. 
• It can be hard for a parent to discuss their children's sexual behavior. This could have prevention implications for the next generation. 
• Poor access to information can result in people not taking their medication as prescribed by their physician or not coming to the hospital regularly. People in families may disagree about the best course of treatment. 
• The stress of living with HIV causes some people to suffer from mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.

The most important information you need to know regarding your HIV or AIDS infection is to  know that you'll always have support. Either from far or close family members and especially your community. So keep your head up high and let us help you get through it. 

Site I used

  American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy 

www.aamft.org/.../Families_Living_with_HIV

Where can a person get tested for HIV/AIDS?

Where can a person get tested for HIV/AIDS?

    In Oregon, students can get tested for free at any community health clinic or school-based health clinic for free. Some clinics closest to you are:

1. Multnomah County STD Clinic: The STD Clinic is located at 426 SW Stark St., 6th floor. The STD Clinic telephone number is 503-988-3700.

     2. Plan Parenthood Clinic: 3727 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Portland, OR 97212           p: 888.875.7820


     3. Madison high school health clinic: Go right outside of Mrs. Quall's class door, take immediate left.

How Does HIV/AIDS affect the immune system?

How does HIV/AIDS affect the immune system?

The human immune system is largely made up of 'helper' t-cells. T-cells scan any unrecognized, therefore any threatening, substance or bacteria that enters the body; in this case it is a virus. The scan allows the t-cells to create the correct anti-bodies to destroy the virus. However, the HIV virus has the ability to mutate itself throughout it's time in the body, making the t-cells re-scan and re-create new anti-bodies every time a mutation happens. While this is happening, the way the HIV virus re-produces is by sending some of it's DNA into a nearby t-cells, corrupting it's genetic coding and destroying it while creating more HIV virus cell sin the process. This is how HIV and AIDS can kill you. The virus itself doesn't kill you, your immune system's inability to illuminate any simple or complicated sickness that works it's way into your body is what brings you to your demise.

citation: http://people.ku.edu/~jbrown/hiv.html

How Does HIV/AIDS Affect The Brain?

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome  (AIDS) is the result of an infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). This virus attacks selected cells of the immune, nervous, and other systems and impairs their proper function.

 

HIV infection may cause a number of problems in the brain and nervous system, including:

 

• Damage to the brain
•  Inflammation of the brain
• Meningitis
• Nerve damage
• Difficulties in thinking
• Behavioral changes
• Poor circulation
• Headache
• Stroke

 

AIDS-related cancers, such as lymphoma, and opportunistic infections may also affect the nervous system. Neurological symptoms may be mild in the early stages of the disease, but can become severe in the final stages. Complications vary widely from one patient to another.

 Such as:

 

• Headache
• Confusion
• Lethargy
• Low-grade fever
• Weakness
• Speech disturbance
• Ataxia (loss of muscle control)
• Apraxia (inability of a person to perform voluntary and skillful movements)
• Seizures
• Sensory loss.

 

Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a disorder that can also occur in patients with AIDS, causes:

 

• Weakness
• Hemiparesis or facial weakness
• Dysphasia (trouble with speech)
• Vision loss
• Ataxia.

Where Can I Get Tested?

Where can I get tested for HIV/AIDS in my area?

There are many health clinics throughout Multnomah County that anyone can go to, to get tested for free, and be cared for in most any other ways. The locations vary from hospitals, to your neighborhood high school. For example, there is a health clinic at our very own, Madison High School, and you can get tested for HIV/AIDS at no cost to you, if you are under the age of 24.

If you so desire, going to our county's website can further help you with any health related issues due to HIV/AIDS.

http://web.multco.us/health/std-services

Tests Available for HIV and AIDS

Tests Available for HIV and AIDS

HIV
-There are many different types of tests for HIV, however they all do roughly the same thing to check for HIV (count HIV antibodies.) The only difference between the tests is the amount of time it takes to get results back and efficiency.
The original test that all the others are based off of is referred to as the HIV Antibody Test, ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) or just EIA (enzyme immunoassay):

• Taken 2-12 weeks after known exposure
• Test counts the body's antibodies against HIV which the body starts producing between 2-12 weeks after exposure.
• One can only know for sure if they are HIV negative if the test is taken 6 or more months after exposure.
• Antibody tests can use blood, oral fluid (not saliva), and urine to detect HIV antibodies. 

AIDS

-There is not an exact test for AIDS. When one is diagnosed with HIV, doctors routinely check your T-Cell count.

•  One officially has AIDS when their T-Cell count is below 200 cells/mm3 (cubic millimeter.)
• T-Cells are a type of "fighter" cell in the body that fights off infection. When HIV has destroyed one's immune system enough for the T-Cell count to be below 200 cells/mm3 then they officially have AIDS. 

HOWEVER, if one does not know they have HIV, there are tests doctors give that 

1) Test to see if they have HIV.

2) Count your T-Cells and viral load (With AIDS T-Cell is low and viral load is high.)

Sites used: 

-http://hivinsite.ucsf.edu/insite?page=basics-01-01

-http://aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/just-diagnosed-with-hiv-aids/understand-your-test-results/cd4-count/

-Dr. Juniper Martin 

• STATISTICS
• HIV infection diagnosis remained stable at approximately 300 people per year, and the number of deaths have remained constant at approximately 100 people per year.
• Approximately 59% of all reported cases of HIV infection were residents of Multnomah  County
• Multnomah County accounts for 19% of Oregon’s estimated 2005 population.
• Approximately 40% of newly reported HIV infections have lead to AIDS at the time of diagnosis or within 12 months.

          2011 Worldwide Statistics:

• In Sub-Saharan Africa there were  23.5 million people infected with HIV

• In South/South-East Asia the total number of people living with HIV were 4.0 million and 280,000 were newly infected with HIV
• In Eastern Europe/Central  Asia  a total of 1.4 million people are living with HIV
• In Latin America a total of 1.4 million are living with HIV and 86,000 are newly infected with HIV
• In North America there was a total of 1.4 million infected with HIV 51,000

HIV Transmission and AIDS

How does one get HIV?

How does one get AIDS?

-HIV is Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV is carried in many bodily fluids. However, there are only four known fluids that transmit the virus:

• Semen
• Vaginal Fluids 
• Breast Milk
• Blood

The virus can ONLY be transmitted when one of these fluids carries the virus, and comes in contact with another of the fluids. Some examples of ways HIV can be transmitted:

• Vaginal Sex
• Anal Sex
• HIV infected mother transmitting it to child during pregnancy or breast-feeding.
• Blood Transfusions, or infected blood getting in an open wound (entering the bloodstream.)
• Needle Sharing
• Oral Sex (if the mouth has a wound, therefore having access to the bloodstream.) 

YOU CANNOT GET HIV FROM KISSING UNLESS (for some reason) BOTH OF YOUR MOUTHS HAVE OPEN, BLEEDING WOUNDS.

-AIDS is Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. This syndrome occurs after HIV has destroyed the immune system enough so that it can no longer protect the body from foreign invaders. Because one's immune system no longer functions, the body can easily become overcome by infection.  

Where I got the info I didn't know:
-Dr. Juniper Martin