Basic
Facts About HIV/AIDS
What
is AIDS?
Is
there a cure for HIV infection?
I
can get infected by:
I
can't get infected by:
How
do I know if I am infected?
What
happens if I am infected?
How
do I protect myself?
What
are safer sex activities?
What
is safer needle use?
What
is AIDS?
- AIDS stands
for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. AIDS is the advanced
stage of the disease caused by a virus called HIV.
H
uman
I mmunodeficiency
V irus
- The virus
attacks and damages the body's immune and nervous systems.
- Everyone
can be affected by HIV/AIDS.
Male, female, young, old.
Is
there a cure for HIV infection?
- Not yet
...
- Progress
has been made, but prevention is still our only defence.
I
can get infected by:
- having
unprotected vaginal and/or anal sex with someone already infected;
- sharing
needles for injecting drugs like cocaine, heroin or steroids
with someone already infected;
- tattooing,
skin piercing or acupuncture with unsterilized needles;
- receiving
infected blood or blood products (Since November 1985 in Canada,
all blood and blood products are tested for HIV antibodies);
- during
pregnancy, at birth or through breastfeeding, an infected mother
can pass the virus to her child.
I
can't get infected by:
- casual,
everyday contact
- shaking
hands
- hugging,
kissing
- coughing,
sneezing
- giving
blood
- using swimming
pools, toilet seats
- sharing
bed linen, eating utensils, food
- mosquitos
and other insects, animals
How
do I know if I am infected?
- Over time,
the body produces antibodies to fight the HIV virus. A blood
test can tell if you have these antibodies which show you are
infected.
- It can
take up to six months after infection for these antibodies to
show.
What
happens if I am infected?
- After infection,
people may not feel or look sick for years. However, they can
still pass HIV to others.
- Over time,
the nervous and immune systems become damaged and HIV infected
people become sick with different illnesses.
- For people
living with advanced HIV infection or AIDS, their immune and
nervous systems are weak. They get diseases, such as infections
or cancers, which can kill them.
How
do I protect myself?
No
risk:
- abstinence
- if you
and your partner are not infected and you only have sex with
each other
Some
risk:
- safer sex
activities
- safer needle
use
What
are safer sex activities?
Safer sex
activities prevent contact with semen, vaginal fluids or blood.
Talk to your partner about safer sex before having sex.
- use a latex
condom correctly every time you have sex
- use only
water-based lubricants. Oil-based lubricants such as petroleum
jelly should never be used because they may weaken the condom
and cause it to break.
What
is safer needle use?
- don't share
needles if you are injecting drugs
- use needle
exchange programs where used needles can be exchanged for new
ones, or
- rinse your
used needles twice in water, twice in bleach for 30 seconds,
and twice in water again.
The
Funeral Directory would like to thank the Canadian
HIV/AIDS Clearing House for kindly permitting us to use this
information on our site.
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