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Colorado AIDS Project | HIV | FAQ What Is HIV? What Is HIV? What is AIDS? How exactly Is HIV spread? HIV is spread through unprotected/unsafe (without condoms) vaginal, oral or anal sexual intercourse. Transmission is possible from male to male, male to female, female to male and female to female. Another way the virus is spread is through the sharing of injection drug equipment. Mothers can also transmit HIV prior to birth, during birth or through breast milk. If a woman finds out she is HIV positive during pregnancy, she runs a 25% chance that her baby will be born infected. However, with the use of AZT and/or protease inhibitors during pregnancy, the risk of infecting her baby drops to 8% or less. HIV can be spread through infected blood or blood products. All blood donated in the United States is tested for HIV, however a small risk remains due to the “window period” which is when a person is infected, but has a negative HIV test because they haven’t yet developed HIV antibodies that show up on a test. Healthcare workers can also become infected with HIV through a deep needle stick or surgical injuries received while working with HIV infected patients. Studies conducted with families of people with AIDS confirm that hugging, touching, social kissing, sharing kitchen utensils and bathroom facilities, or even sleeping together in the same bed as long as there is no sexual contact are all safe activities. What is "risky activity?" Sexual intercourse without a condom is risky because the virus, which is present in an infected person’s sexual fluids, can pass directly into the body of their partner. Contact with an infected person’s blood is risky if it allows the virus to pass into another person’s body through cuts or grazes in their skin. This includes being pricked by, or injecting with, a needle or syringe already used by someone else. What is Safe Sex? What is Safer Sex? Safer sex means using a barrier, such as a latex condom or dental dam, each and every time you have sex if you are not in a mutually monogamous relationship in which both partners are negative. Being monogamous means you and your partner never have sex with anyone else. If you are not in a monogamous relationship, the best way to avoid HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases is to abstain from sex. Otherwise, the most effective way to reduce your risk of infection is to properly use latex condoms every time you have sex. What is the correct way to use a condom? 1. Make sure the condom is a latex condom. This is important because latex condoms are the most effective at preventing sexually transmitted diseases including HIV. There are other condoms available made from lamb’s skin, but they do not prevent HIV transmission. 2. Check the expiration date on the package. If there is no expiration date or it has expired, throw it away 3. Push the condom to one end of the package to avoid tearing it when tearing open the package. Never reach inside the package with your fingers to pull the condom out because your fingernails may tear the condom. Squeeze the bottom out of the package. Dry condoms may take a little more effort than lubricated condoms. 4. Pinch the end of the condom with your fingers to keep air bubbles out and to make room for semen. Hold on to the end while you place the condom against the head of the erect penis and roll it all the way down until you run out of condom or penis, whichever comes first. If the penis goes soft, throw the condom away and start again when the penis is erect. Never unroll the condom before putting it on the penis. 5. Use a lot of water-based lubricant on the outside of the condom. This makes sex feel better for both partners and reduces friction, which can cause the condom to break. Do not use lubricants that contain oil, such as petroleum jelly, baby oil, hand lotion or cooking oil because oil causes latex to break down. 6. Don’t rush sex. Wait until you and your partner are stimulated and ready for penetration. If you or your partner is not ready, it can make sex very awkward and sometimes painful for one or both partners. 7. After a man has climaxed, it is important that he immediately grasps the base of the condom along with the base of his penis and withdraws. This is because most men begin to lose their erection almost immediately after they ejaculate, which makes the condom fit more loosely. The condom may leak or slip off inside the partner. 8. Oral sex or using your mouth to stimulate your partner’s genitals, is lower risk than having vaginal or anal sex, but it does carry some risk. To be as safe as possible, use a dry condom for oral sex with a man to prevent pre-seminal fluid, sometimes called precum, and semen from entering the mouth. For oral sex with a woman, use a barrier such as a dental dam, which is a square piece of latex, or plastic wrap. This creates a barrier between the mouth and the genital area so that vaginal fluids do not enter the mouth. Do not use plastic wrap that is made specifically for the microwave. It has pores in it to let steam escape and can let the virus pass through. You can also use plastic wrap and dental dams to avoid direct contact with your partner’s anal area. If you choose to engage in unprotected oral sex, you can still make it safer. Avoid brushing or flossing your teeth before engaging in oral sex. Brushing or flossing, while good hygiene practice, can cause abrasions in the mouth, which increase the risk of transmission. When performing oral sex on a man, never allow him to climax in your mouth. The reason we refer to this as safer sex, not safe sex, is because it is much safer than not using condoms and dental dams, but it is still a risk. There is always a chance that the condom might break, especially if it’s used incorrectly. Once again, the only 100% guarantee to avoid HIV is to abstain from having sex and not sharing needles. How long can HIV survive outside the human body? The potency of the virus outside the body diminishes over time, but the virus must get directly into the bloodstream to infect anyone. Most household cleaners such as soap, bleach or peroxide will kill it. When cleaning any blood spills, use universal precautions. Wear latex gloves during blood spill clean up. Studies conducted in the homes of people with AIDS show transmission from an infectious person to another member of the household are extremely rare. However to be completely safe, toothbrushes and shaving equipment which may contain small particles of blood should not be shared. Is there a risk of HIV transmission when having a tattoo, body piercing or visiting the barber? When visiting the barbers there is no risk of infection unless the skin is cut and infected blood gets in the wound. Traditional “cut-throat” razors used by barbers now have disposable blades, which should only be used once, and so reduce the risk of blood borne infections such as HIV or Hepatitis B. How quickly after possible HIV exposure should I get tested? The HIV antibody test looks for antibodies to the virus in a person’s blood. It takes two weeks to 6 months to produce HIV antibodies after infection. This period of time is known as the “window period”. There have been a few rare cases of people going longer than 6 months, some up to a year after infection to develop detectable antibodies. However, 95% of the people infected develop antibodies within the first 6-8 weeks and the majority of the remainder does so by 6 months. Getting tested before the first 6-8 weeks is up may result in an unclear test result, as an infected person may not have developed antibodies to HIV yet. So it is best to wait for at least three months after the last time you were at risk before taking the test. Some test centers may recommend testing again at 6 months, just to be extra sure. It is also important that you are not at risk for further exposure to HIV during this time period. Most importantly you should continue to practice safe sex and not share needles. What is the HIV test? Once a person is infected, it takes an average of 45 days for the body to produce HIV antibodies, although this can range from 2 weeks to 6 months. This 2 weeks to 6-month period is referred to as the window period. During this period, a person may, indeed, carry the virus and be able to infect others, but will still test HIV negative. A positive test result means a person’s body has produced HIV antibodies. It also means the individual can spread HIV through blood to blood, semen to blood, or vaginal fluid to blood contact. It does not say whether or not a person has AIDS. It does not tell whether or not a person will develop AIDS at some point in the future. A negative test result means the body has not produced antibodies to HIV. If the person receiving a negative test result has not placed him or herself at risk in the last six months, then they are not infected. If the person has indeed placed him or herself at risk during the last six months, because of the window period, they will need to be tested again before they will know for sure. Are there other ways to test for the HIV antibodies? Another way to test for HIV antibodies is the Orasure HIV-1 Oral Specimen. It uses oral fluid instead of blood and is not for home testing. The test actually uses “transmucosal exudate,” not saliva, to determine if an individual is HIV-positive. Trained individuals are the only ones who can take “transmucosal exudate”. Oral fluid does contain HIV; however, it does not have enough virus to transmit HIV. The Orasure test is less traumatic for the client than a needle stick and safer for the health care provider. If the test is positive for HIV, a Western Blot must be done due to the possibility of a false positive result. Home Collection Kit Another way to test is with a home collection kit. You draw your own blood by pricking your finger. You then put the blood sample on a card and mail the card to the company with an ID number that comes with the kit. Lab results are available within 3-7 days. It is dependent on the manufacturer as to the amount of pre and post-test counseling available. No matter the result of the test, counseling is very important before and after a person receives those results. That’s why it’s recommended using a testing method that guarantees face to face counseling. Urine Based Test There is also a urine-based test. A physician can only order this test. Any initially reactive sample will be re-tested twice. If even one of the second tests is reactive, the screening test will be considered positive, although this positive result does not always indicate HIV infection. For confirming a positive screening test, anyone testing positive with the “Calypte” test must be re-tested with a more accurate test using a blood sample. What are rapid HIV tests? The Food and Drug Administration has currently only licensed one rapid HIV test for use in the United States. The availability of rapid HIV tests may differ from one place to another. The rapid HIV test is considered to be just as accurate as the standard screening test. Both the rapid test and the standard screening test look for the presence of antibodies to HIV. As is true for all screening tests, a reactive rapid HIV test result must be confirmed before diagnosis of infection can be given. What is the difference between confidential and anonymous testing? If you are tested confidentially, it means you will need to use a name. The State Department of Health and Public Environment keeps confidential records for two years of all people who are tested. The individuals who test positive will be contacted by the Health Department to participate in the Partner Notification Program. This program is voluntary and is designed to stop the spread of HIV by asking the positive person to name past and present sexual partners, or partners using injection drugs so that the state can attempt to contact them and encourage them to be tested. All of this information is protected by law at this time, and confidentiality is assured. In other words, the state cannot mention a name when contacting the person. The state cannot mention who was tested. These records cannot be accessed by insurance companies, court subpoena or law enforcement at this time. Only those within the Health Department with a need to know, such as those who work in the Partner Notification Program, have access to these records. In some ways, the records kept by the state are safer than those kept in a doctor’s office. If a person has an HIV test through their private physician, it becomes part of his or her medical record. If that person decides to change insurance, the new insurance company would want to check his or her past medical records for what is generally known as a “pre-existing condition.” If they find such a condition, like cancer or heart disease, or in this case HIV, they may exclude it from coverage. If a person takes an anonymous test, they do not have to give a name. You are given a unique number and the test results are given under that number. No one, not even the state, can trace those results back to a specific person. The results are reported to the state simply as positive or negative. However, if the test results are positive, you may be asked to participate in the Partner Notification Program, which is voluntary. The Denver County Health Department, the Boulder County Health Department and the Northeast Colorado Health Department offer anonymous testing. Where can I get an HIV test in Colorado? Aspen - Community Health Services, Inc Aurora - It Takes a Village Boulder - Boulder County Health Department Boulder - Boulder County AIDS Project Center - Saquache County Public Health Department Colorado Springs - El Paso County Health Department Cortez - Montezuma Health Department Denver - Colorado AIDS Project Denver - The Children's Hospital, Denver (Youth Testing by CHiP Youth Project) Denver - Brother Jeff's Cultural Center Denver - The Center (GLBT) Denver - Clinica Tepeyac (Youth Testing by CHiP Youth Project) Denver - Denver Public Health Department Denver - ECCOS Family Center Denver - Rainbow Alley (Youth Testing by CHiP Youth Project) Durango - San Juan Basin Health Unit Fort Collins - Northern Colorado AIDS Project (NCAP) Greeley - Weld County Health Department Lakewood - Jefferson County Health Department Pueblo - Pueblo City/County Health Department Logan - Northeast Colorado Health Department Trinidad - Las Animas/Huerfano County Health District Walsenburg - Las Animas/Huerfano County Health District For other test site options in your area, please call:
What if I test positive for HIV? The first step you should take is to see a doctor, even if you do not feel sick. Try to find a doctor who has experience treating HIV. There are now many drugs to treat HIV infection and help you maintain your health. These drugs are called anti-retrovirals and protease inhibitors. A combination of these drugs is referred to as a drug cocktail. Many people also get an antibiotic, which will prevent pneumonia. You should also try to stop smoking cigarettes, drinking too much alcohol and using illegal drugs (such as cocaine). All of these can weaken your immune system. What are the complications of untreated HIV infections? What are the first symptoms of HIV infection? Several years after infection a person may experience symptoms of particular illnesses and cancers. These are the result of the infected person’s immune system being damaged by HIV to the point where it is no longer able to fight off these opportunistic infections I'm HIV-positive. Where can I get information about treatments? Trial information is available through: National Clinical Trials Hotline: 1.800.TRIALS.A (Mon.-Fri., 9am-7pm EST) PROJECT INFORM National hotline: 1.800.822.7422. (Mon.-Sat., 10am-4pm Pacific Time) Address is 1965 Market St., Suite 220, San Francisco, CA 94103. Fax: 415-558-0684. Project Inform is a non-profit organization giving expanded HIV infection treatment information to physicians, persons who are HIV+ or have AIDS, and to caregivers and AIDS organizations. You may call them for a packet of treatment information. PWA Coalition of Colorado: 303.329.9379. Their “Resolute” newsletter has a great listing of clinical trials. Also associated with the PWA Coalition is the Colorado Health Action Project (“Buyers Club”). Those infected with HIV often band together, forming buyers clubs in order to purchase items that are available without a prescription at a lower cost. Information is available through this source as well. Infectious Disease Clinic of Denver Department of Public Health: ACTG-AIDS Clinical Trial Group at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center: 303.270.8551. CPCRA- Community Programs for Clinical Research on AIDS. Denver Public Health, contact Reggie Caldwell: 303.436.7195. ACTU- Pediatric AIDS Clinical Trials Unit, Children’s Hospital: 303.861.6751. There are also several newsletters available on experimental drugs and therapies: AIDS Treatment News BETA (Bulletin of Experimental Treatments for AIDS) P.I. Perspective Positively Aware (Published by Test Positive Aware Network) PWA Coalition Newsline Resolute! Treatment Issues World Additional Websites: Is there a vaccine against HIV? Although AIDSVAX is the first vaccine to move to Phase III trials in a developing country, as well as in the United States, it is only one of a series of vaccines that are in various stages of the development process.
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