Video Transcription

HIV

HIV, or Human Immunodeficiency Virus, infects and kills key immune cells in the body, weakening the immune system and making it harder for the body to defend itself. Currently, there is no cure or vaccine for HIV. Eventually, after many years, HIV infection will lead to AIDS, or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. This is when the immune system has become so weakened over time that it struggles to protect itself from infections and diseases. A simple way to put it is that HIV is the virus itself, whereas AIDS is the name for all the symptoms caused by the virus.

So, being HIV positive doesn’t necessarily mean you have AIDS. HIV may take several years to progress into AIDS. If a person is diagnosed with HIV soon after infection, it is generally a number of years before treatment with HIV medicine needs to start. HIV can be sexually transmitted by infected blood, pre-cum, or vaginal fluid entering the bloodstream or the lining of the vagina, the cervix, or the opening of the penis when safe sex is not practiced. HIV can also enter the bloodstream through cuts or wounds in the vagina, anus, or mouth. It can also enter the bloodstream through the use of unprotected sex toys. If you are switching from one partner to another, it is possible for a mother to pass on the infection to her baby during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding, although there are medications to reduce the risk of this happening.

Another way for infected blood to enter the bloodstream is by sharing drug-injecting equipment or needles that have been used for piercing or tattooing. It’s not all that bad, though. You can’t catch HIV from kissing, hugging, shaking hands, mosquito bites, toilet seats, or shared cups. A needle stick injury is also a very low risk, but you should get medical advice as soon as possible if this happens.

Once a person has contracted HIV, it may take a while before any symptoms show at all. Soon after exposure to HIV, some people get a rash on their body or flu-like symptoms such as a fever, swollen glands, or a sore throat, but this doesn’t happen to everybody. Getting tested for HIV is as simple as getting a blood test. The test looks for HIV antibodies, although these antibodies may not develop for up to three months after being infected with the virus. So, if you’ve had unprotected sex, it’s best to be tested right away and play it safe until you test again three months later.

If the test shows positive for HIV, it’s not the end of the world. Most people with HIV in Australia live for many years, and treatment is available to keep you healthy for longer, though it can have some full-on side effects. The best way to prevent contracting HIV is to always use condoms and not engage in any risky behavior involving blood, such as sharing needles and syringes. And remember, help is always available from your local doctor or sexual health clinic.

Video by Youth Projects