What is HIV?
What is AIDS?
How do people get infected with HIV?
HIV lives in what body fluids?
Now
see our HIV & STD Basics
in PDF format (1.20 Mb).
What
is HIV?
HIV is the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. The virus that causes
AIDS.
(H) - Human: This virus can't be
transmitted from cats, dogs, or mosquitos. It can only be
spread from human to human.
(I)
- Immunodeficiency: This means that the virus breaks down
your immune system. Your immune system is your body's defense
to fight off infections and illnesses.
(V)
- Virus: We do not have a cure for this virus, thus HIV
stays in the body for life.
What
is AIDS?
AIDS is the Acquired Immune Deficiency
Syndrome. The disease that develops as a result of HIV infection.
(A)
- Acquired: As
AIDS is an acquired disease, you can't just get AIDS from
every day activities. The virus that causes AIDS Is transmitted
in specific ways, for example, through unprotected sex.
(I)
- Immune: HIV
which causes AIDS is a disease of the immune system.
(D)
- Deficiency: Deficiency
means the 'lack of' or a 'break down', thus AIDS is the result
of the breakdown of one's immune system.
(S)
- Syndrome: AIDS
is a collection of different characteristics of a deficient
immune system.
Only
a doctor can tell someone if they have AIDS. An AIDS diagnosis
is given when a person who has HIV:
* has a T-Cell (white blood cell) count below 200 cells
* and/or develops an opportunistic infection
How
do people get infected with HIV?
People get infected by having:
* Unprotected anal, oral, or vaginal sex with an infected
person.
* Sharing any kind of needles & syringes with an infected
person.
* Infected mother to child during, before or after birth.
HIV
can live in 4 body fluids:
1. Blood
2. Vaginal Fluids
3. Semen
4. Breast Milk
Also
see our HIV / AIDS Vocabulary
List
Health
and Education for Youth and Young Adults (HEY) is a health
care and community education program for youth ages 13-24
who may be at risk for HIV, or who are living with HIV/AIDS.
We offer confidential medical care, support groups, psychosocial
activities and access to community resources, free HIV antibody
counseling and testing, and educational and interactive programs.
