Raising Consciousness Creating Awareness

BASIC FACTS ONHIV

CHETNA STRCAhmedabad

2

What is HIV?

H -uman Found only in humansFound only in humans Transmitted among humansTransmitted among humans Preventable by humansPreventable by humans

I –mmuno defiency Body lacks ability to fight off infectionsBody lacks ability to fight off infections

V -irus Type of germType of germ Lives and reproduces in body cellsLives and reproduces in body cells

3

AIDS

 A -cquired; received, not inherited (does not run received, not inherited (does not run

in families)in families)

I -mmuno; protected from (in this case the system protected from (in this case the system

protects the body from disease)protects the body from disease)

D -eficiency, - - a lack ofa lack ofS-yndrome; – a group of symptoms or diseases– a group of symptoms or diseases

4

HIV IS FOUND IN BODY FLUIDS

•Semen

•Breast milk

•Blood

•Vaginal fluid

5

How HIV is passed on?

During unprotected sex (anal, vaginal or oral)

Contact with HIV infected blood or blood products

Sharing IV drug needles of HIV positive people

From HIV positive mother to child

During breast feeding

6

You CANNOT get HIV from…

Tears

Saliva

Sweat

Urine of an HIV infected person

7

Window Period

•When a person gets infected it may take 6 weeks or up to 3 months before antibodies to HIV are detected in the blood

•The HIV test looks for antibodies. When these antibodies are detected the person is diagnosed HIV positive

•A person can be positive and the test shows negative because the test was done during the window period

8

Why HIV rates not going down?

Sex at an early age Lack of life-skills and sex

education Low condom use Multiple partners Stigma and Discrimination Sex for money or sex for .....things Substance abuse: Ganja, cocaine,

alcohol Men having sex with men &

homophobia Gender inequity and gender roles

9

STI and HIV – The Link

Persons with a history of STIs are more likely to get HIV because:

Persons with STIs are more likely to have sores and small breaks in the skin and lining of their genitals.

HIV can more easily enter the body

through these open breaks.

10

STI and HIV – The LinkSTI and HIV – The Link

You can get an STI by having sex without a condom, with an infected person.

At the same time, you could be getting HIV which is also contracted by having unprotected sex.

11

ALL STIs are Preventable

Most STI’s are treatableBut

HIV/AIDS CANNOT BE CURED

12

HIV TB Link

13

Prevention Treatment

14

Prevention

Talk with your partner about HIV

Use a condom with your regular and non-regular clients, and partners every time you have sex

Reduce the number of main partners

Get tested. Know your status

15

Who is most at risk for HIV?

Anybody having sex without a condom.

People with more than 1 partner who don’t use a condom during every sexual act

People whose sex partner has sex with other partners without using a condom

16

How You DON’T Get HIV

You CANNOT get HIV by hugging, touching, living with or caring for someone with HIV, shaking hands or kissing.

You CANNOT get HIV from eating out of the same plate or cup or utensils that an HIV positive person uses.

17

REMEMBER

You CANNOT tell by looking if someone has HIV.

An individual can look and feel well for many years and be HIV positive.

The HIV positive person can pass the virus on to someone else.

18

Getting on with Life

19

Can YOU support someone living with HIV?

20