| F.A.Q
- HIV / AIDS
What are HIV and AIDS? How do people get infected with HIV? How many people are affected with HIV? Does AIDS also aftect our region? Why is the AIDS epidemic considered so serious? How can I avoid being infected through sex? Can we assume responsibility in preventing HIV infection? Does the presence of other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) facilitate HIV transmission? Why is early treatment of STD important? How can children and young people be protected from HIV? How does a mother transmit HIV to her unborn child? Can HIV be transmitted through breast-feeding? Can blood transfusions transmit HIV infection? Can injections transmit HIV infection? What about having a tattoo or your ears pierced? How serious is the interaction between HIV and TB in South-East Asia? What efforts are being made to integrate HIV/AIDS/STD prevention andcontrol activities into primary health care? Is there a vaccine for HIV/AIDS? What is WHO's role in this regard? Is there a treatment for HIV/AIDS? How should governments share responsibility? Do people living with HIV/AIDS have special rights or responsibilities? Where did AIDS come from? Where was AIDS first found? But how can there suddenly be a disease that never existed before? Are women at equal risk of getting infected with HIV? Does AIDS affect children? Who should provide care to HIV/AIDS affected persons? What role do NGOs play in AIDS control? Is it safe to work with someone infected with HIV? Why are people safe from HIV infection during work? What about working every day in close physical contact with an infected person? Who is at risk while at work? If a worker has HIV infection, should he or she be allowed tocontinue work? Does an employee infected with the virus have to tell the employer about it? Should an employer test a worker for HIV? Should a traveller or tourist be concerned about AIDS? Can a traveller become HIV-infected just by casual contact in a foreign country? How can a traveller get infected with HIV? How can the sexual spread of HIV be prevented while travelling? What if you are already infected with HIV? Con you still travel? 'AIDS is mainly a problem of developing countries.' or No, AIDS is really a problem of developed countries'. Which of these opinions is more accurate? How do AIDS problems in different countries relate to each other? If a person becomes infected with HIV, does that mean they have AIDS? Is Oral Sex Unsafe? Why Do I Need to Know About HIV Infection and AIDS? How is HIV Treated? How Do People Become Infected? What About Getting AIDS From Body Fluids Like Saliva? Could I Be at Risk? What Can I Do To Avoid Getting HIV Infection? Is There a Relationship Between HIV and Other STDs? How Can I Tell If I Have HIV Infection? Should I Take the HIV Test? If I Am HIV Positive, What Should I Do? What If a Friend or Associate Has HIV Infection or AIDS? Why do people who are infected with HIV eventually die? What are HIV and AIDS? Ans. AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is the late stage of infection with human immuno-deficiency virus (HIV). AIDS can take more than 8-10 years to develop after infection with HIV. HIV-infected people can live symptom-free lives for years; however most people in developing countries die within three years of being diagnosed with AIDS.
Ans. HIV is transmitted mostly through semen and vaginal fluids during unprotected sex without the use of condoms. Globally, most cases of sexual transnmission involve men and women, although, in some developed countries homosexual activity remains the primary mode. Besides sexual intercourse, HIV can also be transmitted during drug injection by the sharing of needles contaminated with infected blood; by the transfusion, of infected blood or blood products; and from an infected woman to her baby - before birth, during birth or just after delivery. HIV is not spread through ordinary social contact; for example by snaking hand, travelling in the same bus, eating from the same utensils, by hugging or kissing. Mosquitoes and insects do not spread the virus nor is it water-borne or air-borne.
Ans. According to WHO estimates, by end-1996, nearly 30 million people including over 2.5 million children - had been infected with HIV since the start of the epidemic. Every day, more than 7000 adults and 500 babies are infected. More than 8 million people have developed AIDS.
Ans. Of the 26.8 million adults with HIV infection - the global estimate in end-1996 - 14 million were in Sub-Saharan Africa and more than 3.5 million in Asia. Our region, that is South-East Asia, is likely to suffer the brunt of the pandemic - being home to over half the world's population. Moreover, HIV/AIDS is now present in every continent and in every region of the world.
Ans. AIDS affects people primarily when they are most productive and leads to premature death thereby severely affecting the socio-economic structure of whole families, communities and countries. Besides, AIDS is not curable and since HIV is transmitted predominantly through sexual contact, and with sexual practices being essentially a private domain, these issues are difficult to address.
Ans. You can avoid HIV infection by abstaining from sex, by having a mutually faithful monogamous sexual relationship with an uninfected partner or by practicing safer sex. Safer sex involves the correct use of a condom during each sexual encounter and also includes non-penetrative sex.
Ans. Both men and women share the responsibility for avoiding behaviour that might lead to HIV infection. Equally, they also share the right to refuse sex and assume responsibility for ensuring safe sex. In many societies, however, men have much more control than women over when, with whom and how they have sex. In such cases, men need to assume greater responsibility for their actions.
Ans. Yes. Every STD causes some damage to the genital skin and mucous layer, which facilitates the entry of HIV into the body. The most dangerous are: • Syphilis • Chancrold • Genital herpes • Gonorrhoea
Ans. High rates of STD caused by unprotected sexual activity enhance the transmission risk in the general population. Early treatment of STD reduces the risk of spread to other sexual partners and also reduces the risk of contracting HIV from infected partners. Besides, early treatment of STD also prevents infertility and ectopic pregnancies.
Ans. Children and adolescents have the right to know how to avoid HIV infection before they become sexually active. As some young people will have sex at an early age, they should know about condoms and where they are available. Parents and schools share the responsibility of ensuring that children understand how to avoid HIV infection, and learn the importance of tolerant, compassionate and non-discriminatory attitudes towards people living with HIV/AIDS.
Ans. An HIV-infected mother can infect the child in her womb through her blood. The baby is more at risk if the mother has been recently infected or is in a later stage of AIDS. Transmission can also occur at the time of birth when the baby is exposed to the mother's blood and to some extent transmission can occur through breast milk. Transmission from an infected mother to her baby occurs in about 30% of cases.
Ans. Yes. The virus has been found in breast milk in low concentrations and studies have shown that children of HIV-infected mothers can get HIV infection through breast milk. Breast milk, however, has many substances in it that protect an infant's health and the benefits of breast-feeding for both mother and child are well recognized. The slight risk of an infant becoming infected with HIV through breast-feeding is therefore thought to be outweighed by the benefits of breast-feeding.
Ans. Yes. If the blood contains HIV. In many places blood is now screened for HIV before it is transfused. If you need a transfusion, try to ensure that screened blood is used. You can reduce the chances of needing a blood transfusion by taking ordinary precautions against serious injury - for example, by driving carefully, insisting on wearing a seat belt, and avoiding alcohol.
Ans. Yes. If the injecting equipment is contaminated with blood containing HIV. Avoid injections unless absolutely necessary. If you must have an injection, make sure the needle and syringe come straight from a sterile package or have been sterilized property; a needle and syringe that has been cleaned and then boiled for 20 minutes is ready for reuse. Finally, if you inject drugs, of whatever kind, never use anyone else's injecting equipment.
Ans. Tattooing, ear piercing, acupuncture and some kinds of dental work all involve instruments that must be sterile to avoid infection. In general, you should refrain from any procedure where the skin is pierced, unless absolutely necessary.
Ans. Tuberculosis kills nearly 3 million people globally, of whom nearly 50% are Asians. The rapid spread of HIV in the region has further complicated the already serious situation. Not only is TB the commonest life-threatening opportunistic infection among patients living with AIDS, but the incidence of TB has now begun to increase, particularly in areas where HIV seroprevalence is high. Multi-drug resistant TB is also quite common in many areas.
Ans. While there is currently no vaccine for HIV/AIDS, research is under way. many candidate vaccines are presently undergoing either phase I or phase II clinical trials in various countries, including Thailand in South-East Asia. These will be followed by field trials in the community to determine efficacy, which is a time consuming process and will take another 3-5 years or more. Hence, a vaccine for general use is unlikely to be available in the near future. WHO's role is to assist in the development, evaluation and availability of vaccines. WHO has helped four countries - Brazil, Rwanda, Thailand and Uganda - to prepare a comprehensive plan for HIV vaccine research including strengthening of national epidemiological, laboratory and socio-behavioural research capabilities.
Ans. All the currently licensed anti-retroviral drugs, namely AZT, ddI and ddC, have effects which last only for a limited duration. In addition, these drugs are very expensive and have severe adverse reactions while the virus tends to develop resistance rather quickly with single-drug therapy. The emphasis is now on giving a combination of drugs including newer drugs called protease inhibitors; but this makes treatment even more expensive. WHO's present policy does not recommend antiviral drugs but instead advocates strengthening of clinical management for HIV- associated opportunistic infections such as tuberculosis and diarrhoea. Better care programmes have been shown to prolong survival and improve the quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS.
Ans. Governments are responsible for ensuring that enough resources are allocated to AIDS prevention and care programmes, that all individuals and groups in society have access to these programmes, and that laws, policies and practices do not discriminate against people living with HIV/AIDS. Governments of developed countries have a moral responsibility to share the AIDS burden of developing countries.
Ans. Since everyone is entitled to fundamental human rights without discrimination, people living with HIV/AIDS have the same rights as seronegative people to education, employment, health, travel, marriage, procreation, privacy, social security, scientific benefits, asylum, etc. Seronegative and seropositive people share responsibility for avoiding HIV infection/re-infection. But many people, including women, children and teenagers, cannot negotiate safe sex because of their low status in society or, lack of personal power. Therefore, men whether knowingly infected or unaware of their HIV status, have a special responsibility of not putting others at risk.
Ans. AIDS is caused by a virus called HIV, but where this virus came from is not known. However, as new facts are discovered about viruses like HIV, the question of where HIV first came from is becoming more complicated to answer. Moreover, such questions are no longer relevant and do not help in our eftorts to combat this epidemic. What is more important is the fact that HIV is present in all countries and we need to determine how best to prevent the further spread of this deadly virus.
Ans. AIDS was first recognised in the United States in 1981. However, it is clear that AIDS cases had occurred in several parts of the world before 1981. Evidence now suggests that the AIDS epidemic began at roughly the same time in several parts of the world, including the U.S.A. and Africa.
Ans. If we look at AIDS as a worldwide pandemic, it appears as if it is something new and rather sudden. But if we look at AIDS as a disease and at the virus that causes it, we get a different picture. We find that both the disease and the virus are not new. They were there well before the epidemic occurred. We know that viruses sometimes change. A virus that was once harmless to humans can change and become harmful. This is probably what happened with HIV long before the AIDS epidemic. What is new in the rapid spread of the virus?. It may be compared with a weed that someone brings home from a distant place. In its original environment the weed survives but does not spread much. However, once it takes root in the new environment, conditions may allow it to grow much better than it did before.It spreads, chokes out other plants, and becomes a nuisance. The spread of HIV is somewhat similar. Researchers believe that the virus was present in isolated population groups years before the epidemic began. Then the situation changed; people moved more often and travelled more; they settled in big cities; and life-styles changed, including patterns of sexual behaviour. It became easier for HIV to spread through sexual intercourse and contaniinated blood. As the virus spread, the disease which was already in existence became a new epidemic.
Ans. Women are in fact more at risk of getting infected because of their increased vulnerability. In addition, their low status within the family and society further heighten their vulnerability to infection. It is therefore most important that every woman has access to information about HIV/AIDS to protect herself.
Ans. Yes. Children can be both infected and affected by AIDS. Over 2.5 million children worldwide are now infected with HIV. If HIV continues to spread in countries, there will be a great increase in deaths among infants and children. It is also estimated that by the year 2000, 10 million children will have been orphaned as their parents die of AIDS.
Ans. Everyone in contact with an HIV/AIDS person is a potential care provider. In particular, this includes health care workers at various levels of the health care delivery system, social workers and counsellors, and close family members who are important care providers at home. Care basically involves clinical management, nursing care, and social support.
Ans. NGOs have an important and very special role to play. The close interpersonal interaction that NGOs have with people in the communities they work in is extremely usefid for implementing the behavioural interventions necessary for HIV/AIDS prevention and care. NGOs are also not under the same political constraints as government programmes are. They therefore have greater flexibility and the capacity to accommodate changing programmes and public needs and can innovate and implement new initiatives more easily.
Ans. Yes. Most workers face no risk of getting the virus while doing their work. If they have the virus themselves, they are not a risk to others during the course of their work.
Ans. As explained already, in adults, the virus is mainly transmitted through the transfer of blood or sexual fluids. Since contact with blood or sexual fluids is not part of most people's work, most workers are safe.
Ans. There are no risks involved. You may share the same telephone with other people in your office or work side by side in a crowded factory with other HIV infected persons, even share the same cup of tea, but this will not expose you to the risk of contracting the infection. Being in contact with dirt and sweat will also not give you the infection.
Ans. Those who are likely to come into contact with blood that contains the virus are at risk. These include health care workers - doctors, dentists, nurses, laboratory technicians, and a few others. Such workers must take special care against possible contact with infected blood, as for example by using gloves.
Ans. Workers with HIV infection who are still healthy should be treated in the same way as any other worker. Those with AIDS or AIDS-related illnesses should be treated in the same way as any other worker who is ill. Infection with HIV is not a reason in itself for termination of employment.
Ans. Anyone infected, or thought to be infected, must be protected from discrimination by employers, co-workers, unions or clients. Employees should not be required to inform their employer about their infection. If good information and education about AIDS are available to employees, a climate of understanding may develop in the workplace protecting the rights of the HIV-infected person.
Ans. Testing for HIV should not be required of workers. Imagine that you are a worker with HIV infection and are healthy and able to work. As far as your work is concerned, the information about the infection is private. If it is made public, you could be a target for discrimination. If AIDS-related illness makes you unfit for a particidar job, you should be treated in the same way as any other employee with a chronic illness. A suitable alternative job can often be arranged by the employer.The Employers in different parts of the world are beginning to deal with these problems more humanely. Their associations and workers' unions can be consulted for advice.
Ans. Travellers should know about HIV and AIDS because AIDS is a reality throughout the world today. Concern about AIDS, however, should not be an obstacle to travel. Avoiding HIV infection depends mainly on each individual. You can easily protect yourself against HIV infection during your travels by knowing and following some simple rules - the same rules which protect you in your home surroundings.
Ans. No. HIV is not transmitted through casual contact or daily routine activities, either at home or in a foreign country. For example, it is not spread by sitting next to someone who is infected, shaking hands, coughing, or sneezing. HIV is not spread by public transportation, public telephones, restaurants, food, cups, glasses, plates, drinking water, air, toilets, swimming pools or insects.
Ans. In the same way he or she may get infected back home. The virus spreads most frequently through sexual activity, from an infected person to his or her sexual partner. It also spreads through contaminated blood - in transfusions, on needles, or on any other skin-piercing instruments.
Ans. By following the same precautions as one would follow in one's own country, even in countries which claim they have no AIDS problem. You cannot tell by appearance if someone is infected with the virus; he or she can look healthy. You can avoid HIV infection by refraining from sex or by practicing safer sex. Safer sex involves the correct use of a condom throughout each sexual encounter. Men should use a condom each time from start to finish, and women should make sure that their partner uses one. Remember that vaginal and anal sex can spread AIDS. Oral sex also poses a risk. Finally, remember that the fewer sexual partners you have, the lower your risk of exposure to the virus that causes AIDS.
Ans. If you are already infected, consult your health care provider for guidance well before you plan to travel. Some immigration officials insist on an HIV free certificate. Your travel counsellor will advise you.
or 'No, AIDS is really a problem of developed countries'. Which of these opinions is more accurate? Ans. Many people would like to claim that AIDS only affects others - other people or other countries. AIDS break the patterns that we associate with major diseases, for example, linking malaria with the tropics or perhaps heart disease with the industrialized world. AIDS affects both developing and industrialized countries, both cold and hot countries. HIV can spread anywhere where people live and have sex.
Ans. They are related in at least three ways. First, in every country, AIDS is always spread by a virus transmitted through sexual intercourse and through blood. Specific actions by people are therefore required for it to spread in -all countries. Second, AIDS can be stopped in all countries by people changing their sexual behaviour, by screening blood for transfusion, and by sterilizing needles and syringes.Third, the prevention and control of AIDS bring most countries of the world together in joint action. They have the same basic problems to solve. For example, all must test donated blood and everyone must benefit from the availability of simple, reliable and cheap blood tests to detect the virus. Only joint international action can make such tests widely available and affordable. It is to find these common solutions that the WHO Global Programme on AIDS was established in 1987 and now UNAIDS has been established. Many other groups and organizations are involved as well in what is now a broad partnership between many countries.
Ans. No. HIV is an unusual virus because a person can be infected with it for many years and yet appear to be perfectly healthy. But the virus gradually multiplies inside the body and eventually destroys the body's ability to fight off illnesses. It is still not certain that everyone with HIV infection will get AIDS. It seems likely that most people with HIV will develop serious problems with their health. But this may be after many years. A person with HIV may not know they are infected but can pass the virus on to other people.
Ans. Oral sex (one person kissing, licking or sucking the sexual areas of another person) does carry some risk of infection. If a person sucks the penis of an infected man, for example, infected fluid could get into the mouth. The virus could then get into the blood if you have bleeding gums or tiny sores somewhere in the mouth. The same is true if infected sexual fluids from a woman get into the mouth of her partner. But infection from oral sex alone seems to be very rare.
Ans. Unlike many diseases, HIV infection and AIDS are preventable. While it can be disturbing to think about AIDS and consider your risk, getting up-to-date information is the first step toward protecting yourself. An estimated 800,000 to 1.2 million people in the United States are infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). This virus damages cells in the immmune (defense) system that fight off infections and diseases. As the virus gradually destroys these important cells, the immune system becomes less and less able to protect against illness. Typically, HIV lives in an infected person's body for months or years before any signs of illness appear. AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Dificiency Syndrome. AIDS is the last stage of HIV infection. People with AIDS experience certain life-threatening infections and cancers which make them very sick and can eventually kill them.
Ans. Currently there is no way to get rid of all the virus once a person is infected. However, new medicines can slow the damage that HIV causes to the immune system. Also, doctors are getting better at treating the illnesses that are caused by HIV infection. Many people now consider HIV infection a manageable, long-term illness.
Ans. This virus is spread through the blood, semen, and vaginal discharges of an HIV-infected person. People can get HIV infection when they have contact with these fluids. This can happen by engaging in specific sexual and/or drug use practices. Also, HIV-infected women can pass the virus to their newborns during pregnancy and childbirth. Lastly, some people who received blood products before March 1985 got infected blood. Now all donated blood is being screened for HIV. Many people do not know they have this virus and therefore can unknowingly pass it to others. This is because they usually look and feel fine for many years after HIV infection occurs. Sex and HIV Both men and women, including teenagers, can pass HIV to a sex partner, whether he or she is the same sex or the opposite sex. This can occur during unprotected anal, vaginal, and oral (mouth) sex through contact with infected semen, blood, or vaginal secretions. Drugs, Sex and HIV People can get infected with HIV through sharing needles, cookers, or cottons (works) with someone who is infected. This can happen even when the person passing the works looks clean and healthy. Some people stopped shooting and/or sharing works many years ago and do not realize that they may have become infected with HIV back when they were still shooting drugs. They also may not realize they can pass it through unprotected sex now. Pregnancy and HIV Treatment during pregnancy can help an HIV-infected woman protect her baby from becoming infected. Without treatment, more than a third of all babies born to HIV-infected women will have the virus and eventually get sick.
Ans. Although small amounts of HIV have been found in body fluids like saliva, feces, urine, and tears, there is no evidence that HIV can spread through these body fluids. By now, HIV has been the subject of more research than most other diseases in history. Medical science is confident about these basic facts: You can't get HIV or AIDS from touching someone, sharing items such as cups or pencils, or coughing or sneezing. HIV is not spread through routine contact in restaurants, workplaces, or schools. There has never been any danger of becoming infected with HIV from donating blood. The needles at blood collection sites in the world as well as now in India are never used twice.
Ans. Unless they know someone who has it, many people think this disease can't happen to them. Unfortunately, it can and does happen to all kinds of people. By looking at your current and past sexual and drug practices (and your transfusion history), you can get a picture of your risk for HIV. Also you can figure out how you can reduce your future risk for HIV infection.
Ans. Six Ways To Reduce Risk
Ans. The presence of certain STDs increases the risk of getting HIV infection during contact with an HIV-infected person. Certain STDs result in breaks in the skin on or in the anus, vagina, or penis that permit the virus to enter the blood system more easily. See a health care provider for testing and treatment if you think you might have any STD.
Ans. The only way to know for sure if you have this virus is by taking a blood test called the "HIV Antibody Test." Some people call it the "HIV Test" or the "AIDS Test," even though this test alone cannot tell you if you have AIDS. The HIV test can tell you if you have the virus and can pass it to others in the ways already described. The test is not a part of your regular blood tests-you have to ask for it by name. It is a very accurate test. If your test result is "positive," it means you have HIV infection and could benefit from special medical care. Additional tests can tell you how strong your immune system is and whether drug therapy is indicated. Some people stay healthy for a long time with HIV infection, while others develop serious illness and AIDS more rapidly. Scientists do not know why people respond in different ways to HIV infection. If your test is "negative," and you have not had any possible risk for HIV for six months prior to taking the test, it means you do not have HIV infection. You can stay free of HIV by following prevention guidelines. (In the past five years, one study indicated that a few people with HIV infection took longer than six months to test "positive." This is an extremely rare possibility.) Less than 2% of all people who test for HIV get an "inconclusive result." This means this test cannot determine whether or not they have the virus. Repeat testing is recommended.
Ans. Recent gains in HIV medical care and treatment have increased the benefit of learning whether you have HIV infection even before symptoms of illness appear. Also, if you are planning a pregnancy, you and your partner may want to know if either of you are infected before conceiving. Before you are tested be sure that counseling is provided, both before and after the test. Consult with a health care provider with experience in HIV care or call your local health department. Many test sites provide free testing and counseling. Ask for more health literature on HIV testing.
Ans. If you've tested positive for HIV, consider the following:
Ans. A friend or acquaintance will need your support and understanding, just as with any other life-threatening illness. Assurance of your continued friendship is very important. Most importantly, your friend will want to be treated as usual-as a valuable human being. And remember, casual contact-a hug, a handshake, a kiss on the cheek-poses no threat of infection to you.
Ans. When people are infected with HIV, they do not die of HIV or AIDS. These people die due to the effects that the HIV has on the body. With the immune system down, the body becomes susceptible to many infections, from the common cold to cancer. It is actually those particular infections, and the body's inability to fight the infections that cause these people to become so sick, that they eventually die. |
