Human- Only Humans can get HIV. You can't get HIV from animals or insects.

Immunodeficiency- HIV attacks your immune system, or your body's ability to fight off infections, which eventually causes a complete failure of your immune system. Your body will then be unable to fight off certain diseases.

Virus- HIV is a viral type of infection, whereas, other infections could be either bacterial, fungal, or parasitic in nature.

Acquired- meaning that you have to actively do something to get the virus.

Immune- Your immune system fights off infections.

Deficiency- The immune system is no longer able to fight off infections.

Syndrome- AIDS is not a disease, but a condition in which other diseases will affect your health

HIV attacks your immune system, more specifically, your CD4+ cells or what is commonly called T-cells.

T-cells are a very important part of your immune system. Your immune system is in a constant war against infections in order to keep your body healthy. The T-cells are like the Generals in this war. They tell other soldiers (B-cells,) what to do in this war against HIV and other infections.

HIV enters the T-cells, and become "HIV factories". More HIV is released into the bloodstream to enter more T-cells. Eventually, the T-cells die, and HIV starts winning the war. Your immune system doesn't work anymore because there aren't enough Generals (T-cells) telling the soldiers what to do.

There are only four body fluids that can infect you with HIV.

1) BLOOD 2) SEMEN AND PRE SEMEN 3) VAGINAL SECRETIONS 4) BREAST MILK

If you get any of these fluids from another person inside of your blood system, you may be at risk for HIV infection. You can get HIV through the following:



1) SEX-

a. ANAL SEX- between a man and a woman or a man and a man

b. VAGINAL SEX

c. ORAL SEX-

a man giving oral sex to a woman

a woman giving oral sex to a man

a man giving oral sex to a man

a woman giving oral sex to a woman

2) SHARING NEEDLES- drug use, steroids, tattoos, body piercing, or any activity in which needles are shared between people

3) MOTHER TO INFANT- A pregnant woman who is HIV positive can pass HIV to her baby during pregnancy, birth, or breast-feeding. About 1/3 of babies born to mothers with HIV become HIV positive. The use of AZT during pregnancy has shown to reduce that risk of transmitting HIV to the child to about 8%. PLEASE CONSIDER TAKING AN HIV TEST IF YOU ARE PREGNANT!

4) BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS AND BLOOD PRODUCTS- If you had a blood transfusion or received blood products between 1978 and March 1985, you may be at risk because we didn't have a test to find HIV like we do now. The blood supply is very safe now in the United States( <1% chance) since blood centers test and screen all blood that is donated. THERE IS NO RISK OF GETTING HIV WHILE DONATING BLOOD.

1) Fill the syringe with clean water and then expel it out. REPEAT 2 MORE TIMES.

2) Fill the syringe with pure bleach and then expel it out. REPEAT 2 MORE TIMES.

3) Fill the syringe with clean water and then expel it out. REPEAT 2 MORE TIMES.

A. If you have sex, use a latex barrier and condoms with a water based lubricant only.

B. If you use needles, don't share them with others. Use new sterile syringes each time.

If you can't use new syringes each time, then disinfect them by using bleach.

C. If you are pregnant, please be tested for HIV. If you are HIV+ and pregnant, consult your doctor about the use of drugs to reduce the risk of passing HIV infection to your baby. Do not breast feed your newborn.

D. Although non-injecting drugs and alcohol don't directly cause HIV infection, they definitely impair your judgment when it comes to protecting yourself. Having sex while you are "high" or drunk is risky behavior because you may do things that you normally wouldn't do when you are sober, such as having sex with someone you don't know, multiple partners, sex without your permission (rape), and of course----NOT USING A CONDOM.

If used properly, latex condoms are effective against pregnancy, HIV, and other sexually transmitted diseases.

1. PUTTING IT ON

* Use a new condom before each sex act.

* Squeeze tip of condom to remove air. (Excess air could cause condom to break.)

* When penis is hard (before any sexual contact), place condom on tip and roll down all the way to the base of the penis.

2. TAKING IT OFF

* After coming, withdraw penis while still hard.

* Hold on to rim of condom as you withdraw so nothing spills.

* Avoid further sexual contact with partner until both of you wash your sex organs and any other areas that came in contact with body fluids.

3. IMPORTANT FACTS

* If more lubrication is needed, use K-Y jelly or other water-based lubricant.

* Do not use oil based lubricants such as Vaseline, petroleum jelly, mineral oil, vegetable oil or cold cream as these could break the condom.

* If you or your partner sense burning or itching, discontinue use of the condom. Try another condom.

* If the condom breaks or semen (cum) spills or leaks out, you and your partner should wash all body areas where you had sexual contact right away.

* If the condom is sticky, brittle or looks damaged, do not use it.

* Store at room temperature. Protect latex condoms against prolonged periods of exposure to extreme low or high temperatures, moisture, direct sunlight and fluorescent light.

4) CONDOM EFFECTIVENESS

Although no prophylactic or contraceptive can guarantee 100% effectiveness, latex condoms, if properly used, will help to reduce the risk of transmission of HIV infection (AIDS) and many other sexually transmitted diseases, including chlamydia, genital herpes, genital warts, gonorrhea, hepatitis B, and syphilis. Latex condoms can also prevent pregnancy without the serious side effects sometimes associated with some other methods. Condoms are primarily intended for use in vaginal sex; other uses can increase the potential for breakage.

* Reprint How to use a Condom insert for LifeStyles latex condoms produced by Ansell Incorporated Healthcare Division Eatontown, NJ 07724

The more we talk about safer sex- with our friends and our lovers- the more we will feel comfortable practicing safer sex. It's important to let your partner(s) know what you feel comfortable doing.

For some people, it is easier to have sex than to talk about it. We might be rejected, and no one wants that, right?

But, think of it this way: by talking about safer sex and practicing safer sex, we are showing we care about ourselves, our sex partner(s), and our community.

If you are HIV-negative, you can stay that way. Just because you are gay or have sex with men doesn't mean that infection with HIV is inevitable.

If you are HIV positive, you can stay healthy longer by practicing safer sex---and you too can help stop the spread of HIV.

* Find a health care provider to whom you feel comfortable talking to about having sex with men.

* Think about whether alcohol or drug use has affected your ability to have safer sex.

* If you've been unsafe in the past, think about some of the things that may have lead to unsafe sex and what you can do to prevent it from happening in the future. It's never too late to be safer.

* If you need to talk to someone, contact Triangle AIDS Network's AIDS Counseling and Testing Center at (409) 832-8648 or your local AIDS organization.