Colorado AIDS Project | HIV | FAQ
What Is HIV?
What is AIDS?
How exactly Is HIV spread?
What is "risky activity?"
What is Safe Sex?
What is Safer Sex?
What is the correct way to use a condom?
How long can HIV survive outside the human body?
Is there a risk of HIV transmission when having a tattoo, body piercing or visiting the barber?
How quickly after possible HIV exposure should I get tested?
What is the HIV test?
Are there other ways to test for the HIV antibodies?
What are rapid HIV tests?
What is the difference between confidential and anonymous testing?
Where can I get an HIV test in Colorado?
What if I test positive for HIV?
What are the complications of untreated HIV infections?
What are the first symptoms of HIV infection?
I'm HIV-positive. Where can I get information about treatments?
Is there a vaccine against HIV?
What Is HIV?
HIV stands for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This is a virus that people can become infected with and pass on to other people. When someone becomes infected with HIV it begins to attack his or her immune system which is the body’s defense against illness. A person can be HIV positive for many years before developing AIDS. In fact, approximately 5% of people with HIV do not develop AIDS. They are called long-term non-progressors.
What is AIDS?
AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. A person is said to have AIDS when they develop one of several opportunistic infections or he or she has a CD4 lymphocyte count of less than 200. Common viruses, bacteria, protozoa or fungi that a normal immune system combats easily cause these infections. In a weakened immune system, these organisms can cause severe, life-threatening illnesses.
How exactly Is HIV spread?
AIDS does not discriminate. Anyone of any sexual orientation, any gender, any age and any ethnic background may become infected. The HIV virus is present in the sexual fluids and blood of infected people. It can also be in the breastmilk of infected women. Contact with any of these fluids can expose you to the HIV virus. There is no evidence of HIV transmission through casual contact with an infected person.
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?"
A risky activity is anything that makes it possible for the virus to pass from one person to another.
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?
Safe sex refers to sexual activities, which do not involve any sexual fluid from one person getting into another person’s body. If two people are having safe sex then even if one person is infected there is no possibility of the other person becoming infected. Safe sex activities include hugging, touching, caressing and mutual masturbation.
What is Safer Sex?
Safer sex is used to refer to a range of sexual activities that hold little risk of HIV infection or other sexually transmitted diseases.
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?
To use a condom correctly, follow these instructions:
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 HIV virus is very fragile outside the body, but it can live from several minutes to several hours on the surface of objects in the environment, depending on the situation and environmental factors.
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?
If instruments contaminated with blood are not sterilized between clients there is a risk of HIV transmission. Those who carry out body piercing or tattoos should follow universal precaution procedures, which are designed to prevent transmission of blood borne infections such as HIV or Hepatitis B.
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?
Infection with HIV has no specific symptoms. The only way you can find out for sure if you are infected with HIV is by taking the HIV antibody test.
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?
The HIV antibody test requires blood to be drawn and sent to a lab. The lab will perform a test called an ELISA test. If the ELISA test is positive, it is repeated. If the second is also positive, then a third, more sensitive test called the Western Blot test is performed. If these tests are all positive, then the results are given as HIV positive. This means that if a person is told that they are HIV positive, they have had three tests, which confirm each other.
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?
Orasure HIV-1 Oral Specimen
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?
A rapid test for detecting antibodies to HIV is a screening test that produces very quick results, usually in 5 to 30 minutes. In comparison, results from the commonly used HIV antibody-screening test are not available for 1-2 weeks.
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?
In Colorado, a person can be tested for HIV antibodies either confidentially or anonymously.
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?
In addition to contacting your own physician, there are numerous testing locations throughout Colorado. Some test sites may charge for HIV testing. Many also require appointments. To check on price and hours, you should always call before you go. The testing process may be stressful. You should plan for emotional support between testing and the time you receive the results. You may need ongoing support no matter what your test results indicate.
Aspen - Community Health Services, Inc
0405 Castle Creek Road. / 970.920.5420 or 970.920.5427.
Anonymous testing.
Aurora - It Takes a Village
1532 Galena (Colfax & Gelena) / 303.367.4747
Every Tuesday - 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Every Thursday - 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
OraSure® Saliva Test: No needles, FREE, confidential and anonymous.
While open to everyone, agency focuses mainly on African American and Latino populations. Spanish speaking testing is available during the Tuesday testing days.
Boulder - Boulder County Health Department
3450 Broadway / 303.413.7500
Anonymous testing.
Boulder - Boulder County AIDS Project
2118 14th Street / 303.444.6121
Anonymous - $50 OraQuick Advance Test by appointment.
Center - Saquache County Public Health Department
220 Worth St. / 719.754.2773.
They do not perform anonymous testing.
Colorado Springs - El Paso County Health Department
301 South Union Blvd. / 719.578.3148
They do not perform anonymous testing.
Cortez - Montezuma Health Department
106 West North / 970.565.3056
They do not perform anonymous testing.
Denver - Colorado AIDS Project
701 East Colfax Ave. / 303.837.0166
Last Thursday of Every Month
6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Follow-up results clinic 1st Thursday of following month.
OraSure® Saliva Test: No needles, FREE, confidential and anonymous.
Testing provided in cooperation with Denver Health and Ryan White Title III funding.
Denver - The Children's Hospital, Denver (Youth Testing by CHiP Youth Project)
1056 E. 19th Ave B055 / 888.837.7358
www.chipteam.org
OraSure Saliva Test and OraQuick rapid test (limited). No needles, FREE, confidential and anonymous.
Youth (24 and under) can call and make at appointment at 888.837.7358.
Denver - Brother Jeff's Cultural Center
2836 Welton St. / 303.293.8879 or 303.297.0823
Every Thursday. Call to make appointment.
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
OraSure® Saliva Test: No needles, FREE, confidential and anonymous.
While open to everyone, agency focuses mainly on African American populations.
Denver - The Center (GLBT)
1050 Broadway / 303.733.7743
1st and 2nd Wednesday of every month.
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
OraSure® Saliva Test: No needles, FREE, confidential and anonymous.
While open to everyone, the Center specifically serves the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered community.
Denver - Clinica Tepeyac (Youth Testing by CHiP Youth Project)
3617 Kalamath St.
OraSure Saliva Test: No needles, FREE, confidential and anonymous.
1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month from 2:30 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
For more information, call 888.837.7358 or e-mail Garcia.jerry@tchden.org
Denver - Denver Public Health Department
605 Bannock Room 117
Offers confidential and anonymous HIV testing.
OraQuick rapid HIV Test: Utilizes a drop of blood, most often from a finger tip. Initial results available in 20 minutes.
OraSure® Saliva Test: No needles, results available in approximately 10 days.
Appointments available Mon, Tues, Thurs & Fri, 8:30 a.m.- 3:30 p.m. and Wed, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Walk-ins accepted as schedule and staffing allows.
A $10.00 fee is requested, but the fee will be waived for anyone who does not have or who cannot afford to pay.
To schedule an appointment, call 303.436.7221.
For more information, call Michael Fuhriman at 303.436.7104 or email mfuhrima@dhha.org.
Denver - ECCOS Family Center
655 Broadway, Suite 450 / 303.480.1920
1st Monday of every month
3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Follow-up clinic 2nd Monday of every month.
OraSure® Saliva Test: No needles, FREE, confidential and anonymous.
While open to everyone, ECCOS focuses mainly on monolingual Spanish-speaking clients.
Denver - Rainbow Alley (Youth Testing by CHiP Youth Project)
1050 Broadway (Use alley entrance behind Broadway between 10th & 11th Streets).
OraSure Saliva Test: No needles, FREE, confidential and anonymous.
Every Monday nights from 5:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m. and Friday nights during special events. For more information, call 888.837.7358 or e-mail Samimi.jennifer@tchden.org.
Durango - San Juan Basin Health Unit
281 Sawyer Dr., Room 300 / 970.247.5702
Anonymous testing.
Fort Collins - Northern Colorado AIDS Project (NCAP)
147 West Oak St. / 970.484.4469
Anonymous testing.
Greeley - Weld County Health Department
1555 North 17th Ave. / 970.304.6240
Anonymous testing.
Lakewood - Jefferson County Health Department
260 South Kipling / 303.239.7036
They do not perform anonymous testing.
Pueblo - Pueblo City/County Health Department
151 Central Main / 719.583.4300
Anonymous testing.
Logan - Northeast Colorado Health Department
700 Columbine St. / 970.522.3741
Anonymous testing.
Trinidad - Las Animas/Huerfano County Health District
412 Benedicta / 719.846.2213
They do not perform anonymous testing.
Walsenburg - Las Animas/Huerfano County Health District
119 East 5th St. / 719.738.2650
Anonymous testing.
For other test site options in your area, please call:
Colorado AIDS Project (Denver) - 303.861.0166
Boulder County AIDS Project - 303.444.6121
Northern Colorado AIDS Project - 970.484.4469
Southern Colorado AIDS Project - 719.578.9092
Western Colorado AIDS Project - 970.243-.2437
What if I test positive for HIV?
Although HIV can’t be cured, it can be managed. This means the virus can be kept from rapidly growing in the body so that it doesn’t damage the immune system quickly.
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?
When the virus has done a lot of damage to the immune system, the end result is AIDS. This is when the immune system is so worn down it isn’t able to fight off common diseases and disorders. The T cell count will drop to below 200, the viral load will increase to over 50,000, and the person will start developing illnesses that are very hard to get rid of. They may get pneumonia, thrush (yeast infections of the mouth, throat, skin or vagina) or a severe flu. They may lose a lot of weight and become extremely tired. They may develop a persistent cough and shortness of breath. Stomach pain and severe diarrhea is also common for a person with AIDS. Old, untreated infections such as TB (tuberculosis), syphilis or herpes can take advantage of a weakened immune system and spread throughout the body, leading to severe illness and death.
What are the first symptoms of HIV infection?
The only way to know for sure whether you are infected with HIV is to have an HIV antibody test. The symptoms of initial HIV infection are not very specific. If a person is infected, a few weeks after infection some people experience flu-like illness. They may have a sore throat, swollen glands, medium to high-grade fever, rashes, and feel tired. Only a fifth of people experience symptoms serious enough to require a doctor’s attention. They will usually recover from this and not know that they are HIV-positive.
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?
There are several sites, both here in Denver and nationally, that are currently running clinical trials for persons diagnosed with HIV or AIDS.
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:
303.436.7240.
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
P.O. Box 411256
San Francisco, CA 94141
1.800.873.2812
BETA (Bulletin of Experimental Treatments for AIDS)
San Francisco AIDS Foundation
Editorial Office
P.O. Box 426182
San Francisco, CA 94142-6182
1.800.959.1059 Fax: 510.596.9342
P.I. Perspective
Project Inform
1965 Market St., Suite 220
San Francisco, CA 94103
(Free information packet and newsletter)
1.800.822.7422
Positively Aware (Published by Test Positive Aware Network)
1258 W. Belmont Ave.
Chicago, IL 60657-3292
773.404.8726 Fax: 773.404.1040
TDD: 1.800.782.0423
PWA Coalition Newsline
50 W. 17th St., 8th Floor
New York, NY 10011
212.647.1415
Resolute!
PWA Coalition of Colorado
P.O. Box 300339
Denver, CO 80203
303.329-9379
Treatment Issues
GMHC (Gay Men’s Health Crisis)
Department of Medical Information
129 West 20th Street
New York, NY 10011
212.807-6664
World
Women Organized to Respond to Life-threatening Disease
3948 Webster Street
Oakland, CA 94609
510.658.6930
Additional Websites:
American Medical Association
Is there a vaccine against HIV?
Currently, researchers around the world are testing a vaccine designed to help curb the devastating toll of HIV. Results of the AIDSVAX Phase III Clinical Trial released in March 2003 were disappointing, illustrating the fact that we're still a very long way from finding a cure for this plague.
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.
