HIV and AIDS

HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system and weakens the body’s natural way to fight infections.
HIV stands for:
HUMAN: This means it is transmitted ONLY between human beings. It is not transmitted between human beings and animals.
IMMUNODEFICIENCY: This means that the body cannot protect itself or fight against infections or diseases.
VIRUS: This is a microscopic (very tiny) organism that causes diseases in one’s body. Infections caused by viruses cannot be cured.

MODE OF TRANSMISSION –  How HIV spreads

The body fluids that contain HIV include: blood, semen (including pre-cum), vaginal fluid and breast milk. The spread of HIV from a person that has it to another person is called HIV transmission.
The major ways that HIV can get passed between you and someone who is infected are:

• through unprotected sex (anal or vaginal sex without a condom)
• By sharing needles or other equipment to inject drugs (including steroids)
• By sharing needles, razor blade or clippers.
• By sharing body piercing instruments or needles to get a tattoo
• Can be passed to a fetus or baby during pregnancy, when giving birth or during breast-feeding, from the mother also known as Mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

” Insert Internal Images (40) (41) (42) You cannot get HIV by: ”
 Talking, shaking hands, working or eating with someone who has HIV
 Hugging someone who has HIV
 Through Coughs or sneezes from a person infected with HIV
 Swimming in the river or swimming pools with another person infected with HIV
 Sharing toilet seats, bed sheets or towels with a person infected with HIV
 Sharing forks, spoons, cups or eating food together with a person infected with HIV
 Through bites from mosquito, other insects or animals
” SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HIV: ”
There are No signs and Symptoms for HIV! People with HIV can look or feel healthy, that is why the saying “”HIV no dey show for face””. This means you will not know if you or somebody else has HIV until you do a blood test to check if the virus is in your blood. Sometimes people start feeling sick from HIV around two to seven years after they first get infected with HIV. If you go for a blood test to see whether you have the virus, sometimes it can take up to three months after infection for the virus to show up in the blood test this period is called “”window period’.

HOW TO PREVENT HIV

To prevent yourself from getting infected with HIV is as simple as ABC

• A = Abstinence. Do not engage in sexual activities until you are ready
• B =Be faithful to one uninfected partner if you feel ready to engage in sexual activities
• C = Correctly use a condom every time you have sexual intercourse, this can also prevent unplanned pregnancy and some other STIs

Also

• Do not share sharp objects like razor blade, needles and injections
• Ensure that the clippers or manicure set is properly sterilized before use, if you don’t have your own.
• Don’t inject drugs. If you do, always use new needles and syringes, and never share any injecting equipment.

Treatment for HIV:

There is no cure for HIV yet, but opportunistic infections, which evade the body once infected with HIV can be treated and the virus can be slowed down by living well and using medication when the time comes. The use of HIV medicines to treat HIV infection is called antiretroviral therapy (ART). This involves taking a combination of HIV medicines every day (HIV medicines are often called anti retrovirals or ARVs). Positive living – eating balanced diet with regular exercise and taking medicines regularly from a Doctor will delay the chances of HIV becoming AIDS.

AIDS

Without treatment and after many years, a person who has HIV can no longer fight off some infections. At this stage, HIV is called AIDS – Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome:

ACQUIRED: TO GET – meaning, it is not something you inherit from your parents, you get infected with HIV after you are born

IMMUNE: Resistance to infection – Your body has an immune system which includes all the organs and cells that fight diseases or infections. However when infected with HIV, the body’s immune system will no longer be able to fight diseases or infections.

DEFICIENCY: not working properly – this is what HIV causes to the body’s immune system when not it makes the immune system unable to fight infections and diseases.

SYNDROME: A . A group of health problems that causes a disease; this is what HIV causes when not treated
AIDS is caused by a virus known as HIV. It is a syndrome, not a single disease. It is a combination of illness with wide range of complications and symptoms.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF AIDS

Without treatment, HIV can move to AIDS. The time it takes for HIV to become AIDS is different for different people, but it can take 10 years or more. Some symptoms of HIV infection turning to AIDS include constant diarrhoea, body rashes, boils, wound in the mouth, rapid weight loss, and other signs of opportunistic infections. (Opportunistic infections are infections that occur regularly or are more harsh in people with weakened immune systems).

HIV COUNSELLING AND TESTING (HCT)
If you think you may have been exposed to HIV, it is important to get tested. When you go to a HCT centre, you are counselled (told ways HIV is transmitted and ways HIV is not transmitted, you are also told that people with HIV can live a long and healthy life) and you are tested for HIV. The HIV test is a simple blood test.

Remember, the only way to know if you have HIV is to get tested.
Don’t wait! Speak to a health-care provider about getting tested for HIV as
well as other STIs. (You can click here to find the nearest HCT centre.)HIV/AIDS Headers image (7) HIV & AIDS ”
HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system and weakens the body’s natural way to fight infections.
HIV stands for:
HUMAN: This means it is transmitted ONLY between human beings. It is not transmitted between human beings and animals.
IMMUNODEFICIENCY: This means that the body cannot protect itself or fight against infections or diseases.
VIRUS: This is a microscopic (very tiny) organism that causes diseases in one’s body. Infections caused by viruses cannot be cured.
” MODE OF TRANSMISSION ” How HIVspreads
The body fluids that contain HIV include: blood, semen (including pre-cum), vaginal fluid and breast milk. The spread of HIV from a person that has it to another person is called HIV transmission.
The major ways that HIV can get passed between you and someone who is infected are:
 through unprotected sex (anal or vaginal sex without a condom)
 By sharing needles or other equipment to inject drugs (including steroids)
 By sharing needles, razor blade or clippers.
 By sharing body piercing instruments or needles to get a tattoo
 Can be passed to a fetus or baby during pregnancy, when giving birth or during breast-feeding, from the mother also known as Mother-to-child transmission of HIV.
” Insert Internal Images (40) (41) (42) You cannot get HIV by: ”
 Talking, shaking hands, working or eating with someone who has HIV
 Hugging someone who has HIV
 Through Coughs or sneezes from a person infected with HIV
 Swimming in the river or swimming pools with another person infected with HIV
 Sharing toilet seats, bed sheets or towels with a person infected with HIV
 Sharing forks, spoons, cups or eating food together with a person infected with HIV
 Through bites from mosquito, other insects or animals
” SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HIV: ”
There are No signs and Symptoms for HIV! People with HIV can look or feel healthy, that is why the saying “”HIV no dey show for face””. This means you will not know if you or somebody else has HIV until you do a blood test to check if the virus is in your blood. Sometimes people start feeling sick from HIV around two to seven years after they first get infected with HIV. If you go for a blood test to see whether you have the virus, sometimes it can take up to three months after infection for the virus to show up in the blood test this period is called “”window period’.
” HOW TO PREVENT HIV ”
To prevent yourself from getting infected with HIV is as simple as ABC
 A = Abstinence. Do not engage in sexual activities until you are ready
 B =Be faithful to one uninfected partner if you feel ready to engage in sexual activities
 C = Correctly use a condom every time you have sexual intercourse, this can also prevent unplanned pregnancy and some other STIs
Also
 Do not share sharp objects like razor blade, needles and injections
 Ensure that the clippers or manicure set is properly sterilized before use, if you don’t have your own.
 Don’t inject drugs. If you do, always use new needles and syringes, and never share any injecting equipment.
” Treatment for HIV: ”
There is no cure for HIV yet, but opportunistic infections, which evade the body once infected with HIV can be treated and the virus can be slowed down by living well and using medication when the time comes. The use of HIV medicines to treat HIV infection is called antiretroviral therapy (ART). This involves taking a combination of HIV medicines every day (HIV medicines are often called anti retrovirals or ARVs). Positive living – eating balanced diet with regular exercise and taking medicines regularly from a Doctor will delay the chances of HIV becoming AIDS.
” AIDS ”
Without treatment and after many years, a person who has HIV can no longer fight off some infections. At this stage, HIV is called AIDS – Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome:
ACQUIRED: T O GET – meaning, it is not something you inherit from your parents, you get infected with HIV after you are born
IMMUNE: Resistance to infection – Your body has an immune system which includes all the organs and cells that fight diseases or infections. However when infected with HIV, the body’s immune system will no longer be able to fight diseases or infections
DEFICIENCY: not working properly – this is what HIV causes to the body’s immune system when not it makes the immune system unable to fight infections and diseases.
SYNDROME: A . A group of health problems that causes a disease; this is what HIV causes when not treated
AIDS is caused by a virus known as HIV. It is a syndrome, not a single disease. It is a combination of illness with wide range of complications and symptoms.
” SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF AIDS ”
Without treatment, HIV can move to AIDS. The time it takes for HIV to become AIDS is different for different people, but it can take 10 years or more. Some symptoms of HIV infection turning to AIDS include constant diarrhoea, body rashes, boils, wound in the mouth, rapid weight loss, and other signs of opportunistic infections. (Opportunistic infections are infections that occur regularly or are more harsh in people with weakened immune systems).
” HIV COUNSELLING AND TESTING (HCT) ”
If you think you may have been exposed to HIV, it is important to get tested. When you go to a HCT centre, you are counselled (told ways HIV is transmitted and ways HIV is not transmitted, you are also told that people with HIV can live a long and healthy life) and you are tested for HIV. The HIV test is a simple blood test.

Remember, the only way to know if you have HIV is to get tested.
Don’t wait! Speak to a health-care provider about getting tested for HIV as
well as other STIs. (You can click here to find the nearest HCT centre.)
“