Tuesday, March 19, 2024

How Does One Get Hiv

Stage : Clinical Latency

How do you get HIV?

In this stage, the virus still multiplies, but at very low levels. People in this stage may not feel sick or have any symptoms. This stage is also called chronic HIV infection.

Without HIV treatment, people can stay in this stage for 10 or 15 years, but some move through this stage faster.

If you take HIV medicine every day, exactly as prescribed and get and keep an undetectable viral load, you can protect your health and have effectively no risk of transmitting HIV to your sexual partner.

But if your viral load is detectable, you can transmit HIV during this stage, even when you have no symptoms. Its important to see your health care provider regularly to get your viral load checked.

Tattoos And Body Piercings

  • There are no known cases in the United States of anyone getting HIV this way.
  • However, it is possible to get HIV from tattooing or body piercing if the equipment used for these procedures has someone elses blood in it or if the ink is shared. This is more likely to happen when the person doing the procedure is unlicensed because of the potential for unsanitary practices such as sharing needles or ink.
  • If you get a tattoo or a body piercing, be sure that the person doing the procedure is properly licensed and that they use only new or sterilized needles, ink, and other supplies.

Stay On Top Of Oral Hygiene

Having open sores, ulcers, or cuts in your mouth can let HIV into your bloodstream. Practice good oral hygiene and avoid vigorous brushing that can cause your gums to bleed.

If Ds on the menu, give your mouth a once-over before heading out, er, or down.

Skip oral or use a barrier if you have open sores or cuts.

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Contaminated Blood Transfusions And Organ/tissue Transplants

If adequate safety practices are not in place, healthcare workers can also be at risk of HIV from cuts made by a needle or sharp object with infected blood on it. However, the risk of occupational exposure, is very low in most countries.

If you think you have been exposed to HIV, the only way to find out if you have HIV is to have an HIV test.

How Can You Tell If You Have Hiv

How Does One Get HIV/AIDS?

The only way to know for sure if you have HIV is to get tested. You cant rely on symptoms to tell whether you have HIV.

Knowing your HIV status gives you powerful information so you can take steps to keep yourself and your partner healthy:

  • If you test positive, you can take medicine to treat HIV. By taking HIV medicine daily as prescribed, you can make the amount of HIV in your blood very lowso low that a test cant detect it . Getting and keeping an undetectable viral load is the best thing you can do to stay healthy. If your viral load stays undetectable, you have effectively no risk of transmitting HIV to an HIV-negative partner through sex.
  • If you test negative, there are more HIV prevention tools available today than ever before.
  • If you are pregnant, you should be tested for HIV so that you can begin treatment if you’re HIV-positive. If an HIV-positive woman is treated for HIV early in her pregnancy, the risk of transmitting HIV to her baby can be very low.

Use the HIV Services Locator to find an HIV testing site near you.

HIV self-testing is also an option. Self-testing allows people to take an HIV test and find out their result in their own home or other private location. You can buy a self-test kit at a pharmacy or online, or your health care provider may be able to order one for you. Some health departments or community-based organizations also provide self-test kits for free.

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Is There Anything You Can Do To Reduce Your Risk Of Contracting It

You betcha!

If you swallowed seminal fluid, and youre worried about HIV, head to the nearest clinic or emergency department ASAP for a PEP prescription.

PEP is a 28-day course of HIV medication given to people who are HIV-negative to prevent HIV after a possible exposure. It needs to be started within 72 hours.

Yes, but keep in mind that not everyone experiences symptoms early on. So, if youre worried you were exposed, dont wait for symptoms to appear before getting tested.

See a healthcare professional right away if you experience any of these:

  • fever

Do Condoms Stop Hiv Being Passed On

Yes.Using a condom correctly prevents contact with semen or vaginal secretions , stopping HIV from being passed on. The virus cannot pass through the latex of the condom.

Condoms should only be used with a water-based lubricant as oil-based lube weakens them.

People with HIV who are on effective treatment and have an undetectable viral load cannot pass on HIV through any of their body fluids.

Its also important to remember that if you have sex without a condom other sexually transmitted infections can be passed on.

Sex without a condom can also result in pregnancy if other contraception is not being used.

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How Can I Make Sure I Dont Give Hiv To Anyone During Sex

If you find out that you have HIV, try to stay calm. People living with HIV can have normal, healthy relationships and sex lives. But its important to take precautions to help your partner stay HIV-free.

There are a few ways that you can avoid giving HIV to other people:

  • Always use condoms when you have vaginal and anal sex.

  • Start treatment for HIV as soon as possible, and keep taking your HIV medicine. When you take it correctly, HIV treatment can lower or even stop your chances of spreading the virus to your sexual partners .

  • Theres a daily pill your partner can take to lower the risk of getting HIV, called PrEP.

  • Dont share needles for shooting drugs, piercings, or tattoos.

  • Get tested and treated for other STDs besides HIV regularly. Having other STDs makes it easier for you to spread HIV to others.

If you test positive for HIV, its important to tell your sexual partners about it so they can be tested, too. Even if youre really careful to not spread HIV, be honest with your future partners about your status so you can both be informed and help each other stay healthy. Read more about talking with your partners about HIV.

Putting A Number On It: The Risk From An Exposure To Hiv

How is HIV Transmitted? Episode 2

This information was provided by CATIE . For more information, contact CATIE at 1-800-263-1638.

Author: James Wilton

Service providers working in HIV prevention are often asked by their patients and clients about the risk of HIV transmission from an exposure to HIV through sex. What do the latest studies tell us about this risk? And how should we interpret and communicate the results?

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What Is Pep And How Does It Prevent Hiv

PEP stands for post-exposure prophylaxis. Its a series of pills you start taking after youve been exposed to HIV that lowers your chances of getting HIV. You have to start PEP within 72 hours , after you were exposed to HIV for it to work. The sooner you start it, the better. Every hour counts, so if you think you were exposed to HIV, call your nurse or doctor or go to the emergency room right away. PEP is only for emergencies it doesnt take the place of using condoms or PrEP. Read more about PEP.

How Many People Dont Know They Have Hiv

As many as one in five people in the United States with HIV doesnt know they have it, according to the Centers for Disease Control . Thats why its so important to get tested, especially if you currently have or have had unprotected sex with more than one partner or use intravenous drugs.

You can get HIV if the blood, semen, rectal fluid, or breast milk of someone with HIV gets into your body. You put yourself at the highest risk of this when you: Have unprotected sex with an HIV-positive person. Share a needle with someone with HIV. Have sex with an HIV-positive person when you have a sexually transmitted infection .

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How Long Can Hiv Survive Outside The Body

Once outside the body, HIV usually cant survive for very long. Coming into contact with blood or semen that has been outside the body doesnt generally pose a risk for HIV transmission.

Similarly, the risk of passing on HIV to someone else if you have a detectable viral load and cut yourself is also very low. Wash away any blood with soap and hot water and cover the wound with a sticking plaster or dressing.

What Are The Tests For Detecting Hiv

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Various tests may be used for HIV detection:

  • HIV antibody test: This test detects the antibodies produced in the body in response to HIV.
  • Antigen test: This test can be done at an earlier stage than an HIV antibody test. It measures a protein called p24 antigen, present in the virus and produced in high amounts after the infection.
  • Nucleic acid test : It is also called an RNA test. It is a very specific test that looks for the virus itself and can detect HIV as early as about 10 days of infections.
  • In-home test kits: Although less accurate than the laboratory-based tests, home-based kits have the advantage of testing in the privacy and comfort of the home. Only FDA approved home-based kits should be used.
  • Viral culture: This involves using the patients sample and growing the virus in the lab. It takes longer to get the results and is not the most preferred test for HIV.

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What About Breastfeeding

chance that they will pass on the virus to their infant during labor, delivery, or breastfeeding. This is due to contact with relevant body fluids.

Antiretroviral therapy can reduce the chances of transmission to below 5%. The recommend that people with HIV combine exclusive breastfeeding with the use of antiretroviral therapy.

How Is Hiv Diagnosed

A doctor may suspect HIV if symptoms last and no other cause can be found.

If you have been exposed to HIV, your immune system will make antibodies to try to destroy the virus. Doctors use tests to find these HIV antibodies or antigens in urine, saliva, or blood.

If a test on urine or saliva shows that you are infected with HIV, you will probably have a blood test to confirm the results.

Most doctors use a blood test to diagnose HIV infection. If the test is positive , a test to detect HIV DNA or RNA will be done to be sure.

HIV antibodies may show up in the blood as early as 2 to 4 weeks after contact but can also take as long as 3 to 6 months to show up in the blood. If you think you have been exposed to HIV but you test negative for it:

  • Get tested again. A repeat test can be done after a few weeks to be sure you are not infected.
  • Meanwhile, take steps to prevent the spread of the virus, in case you do have it.

You can get HIV testing in most doctors’ offices, public health units, hospitals, and HIV care clinics.

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What Puts You At Risk For Stds And Hiv

You’re at risk if you:

  • Have sex without using a condom, with someone who is infected.
  • Have had an STD.
  • Have more than one sex partner.
  • Are under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
  • Many women have STDs without having symptoms. This means that unless she gets tested, she may have an STD and not know it.
  • Young women are getting HIV or an STD because the tissue lining the vagina is more fragile.

If you are a woman, take charge of your sexual health. Be sure to schedule pelvic exams and pap smears every year. Get tested and learn how to protect yourself from STDs and HIV.

When Can You Get Tested For Hiv

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Depending on the type of test, the window period is between 10 days and 3 months.

Until you pass the window period and get your results, its a good idea to avoid activities that can result in another exposure.

This means sticking with lower risk activities, like kissing and masturbation, and using barrier protection for any other sexual activity.

Youre also able to transmit the virus during this period, so its important to let any potential sexual partners know your status is up in the air.

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How Hiv Is Not Spread

The virus doesn’t survive well outside the body. So HIV cannot be spread through casual contact with an infected person, such as by sharing drinking glasses, by casual kissing, or by coming into contact with the person’s sweat or urine.

It is now extremely rare in Canada or the United States for HIV to be transmitted by blood transfusions or organ transplants.

How Do You Get Hiv

HIV is carried in semen , vaginal fluids, anal mucus, blood, and breast milk. The virus gets in your body through cuts or sores in your skin, and through mucous membranes . You can get HIV from:

  • having vaginal or anal sex

  • sharing needles or syringes for shooting drugs, piercings, tattoos, etc.

  • getting stuck with a needle that has HIV-infected blood on it

  • getting HIV-infected blood, semen , or vaginal fluids into open cuts or sores on your body

HIV is usually spread through having unprotected sex. Using condoms and/or dental dams every time you have sex and not sharing needles can help protect you and your partners from HIV. If you do have HIV, treatment can lower or even stop the chances of spreading the virus to other people during sex. If you dont have HIV, theres also a daily medicine called PrEP that can protect you from HIV.

HIV can also be passed to babies during pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding. A pregnant woman with HIV can take medicine to greatly reduce the chance that her baby will get HIV.

HIV isnt spread through saliva , so you CANT get HIV from kissing, sharing food or drinks, or using the same fork or spoon. HIV is also not spread through hugging, holding hands, coughing, or sneezing. And you cant get HIV from a toilet seat.

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Who Should Get Tested For Hiv

Everyone should know their HIV status. The only way to do that is by getting a test.

Some people think they would know if they had HIV, but like other STDs, HIV often shows no immediate symptoms. An estimated 1 in 7 people living with HIV in the U.S. does not know it. Left untreated, HIV can cause serious harm.

With ongoing care and treatment, people with HIV can live normal, healthy lives. And, there are more options than ever to prevent HIV, including PrEP, a pill that protects against HIV. For people living with HIV, the medications used to keep people healthy also prevent passing the virus to others.

A health care provider can advise how often you should be tested for HIV, as well as other STDs. Women who are considering pregnancy, or are pregnant, should be tested as part of prenatal care. Treatment can prevent passing HIV to the baby.

How Common Is Hiv

You cannot get HIV through ...

The number of people living with HIV in the UK continues to rise. This is because more cases are being diagnosed and people are living longer due to more effective medication

The most recent statistics on the number of people in Northern Ireland living with HIV are available from the Public Health Agency website.

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What Is Art And How Does It Help Prevent Hiv

Antiretroviral therapy is a combination of medicines that slows down the effects of HIV in your body and can help you stay healthy for many years. It can also lower or even stop your chances of giving HIV to anyone else.

ART lowers the amount of HIV in your body sometimes to the point where HIV wont show up on standard blood tests. If your HIV viral load is so low that certain tests cant see it, its called undetectable. When someone has an undetectable viral load, they cant spread HIV to others during sex.

Its important to remember that even with an undetectable viral load, HIV is still present in your body. If you stop treatment your viral load can go up, making it possible to pass HIV to others you have sex with. Your doctor or nurse can help you find the treatment thats best for you to help keep your viral load low, so you can stay healthy.

Will I Be Tested For Hiv If I Donate Blood

When you donate blood in the U.S., your blood is tested for HIV and other infections before it enters the blood supply. As a result, the U.S. has one of the safest blood supplies in the world today. However, blood donation is not a reliable or recommended way to learn your HIV status. Blood donation is not intended as a replacement for an HIV test.

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