Do people with HIV have AIDS?

• Having HIV does not mean you have AIDS. HIV can remain dormant in the body for several years before some unknown factors trigger the infections associated with AIDS. The median incubation period for adults can be as long as 10 years. During this period, people with HIV may look healthy and be unaware of their infection status.

Do people with HIV always look sick?

• NO! The time between infection with HIV and the onset of AIDS symptoms can be as long as 10 years. During this period, most of those infected feel fit and well. They even may not know that they carry the virus. So always use condoms to protect you or your partner when having sexual intercourse.

How is HIV spread?

• HIV is mostly transmitted through the exchange of semen and blood. In a small but growing number of cases, infected mothers have passed the virus via their breast milk to their babies.

The most common ways of transmission are:

• Sexual intercourse, both vaginal and anal
  Sharing of contaminated needles
  Infected mother passing HIV to her baby

Is HIV spread by mosquitoes?

• NO! If mosquitoes could transmit HIV, there would be many more people with HIV and AIDS. Mosquitoes may spread malaria, but not AIDS. They will digest the blood that they took from their victim, not to inject it into another human being.

Is donating blood safe?

• YES! In the US all blood donating equipment is sterile and used once only, so there is NO RISK to the donor of infection with HIV.

Do animals have AIDS?

• Not exactly. Cows, cats, monkeys and household pets have viruses similar to HIV which cause diseases comparable to AIDS among those animals. However, none of these viruses can be transmitted to human beings.

Is there a vaccination against HIV infection?

• Currently there is no vaccine available for HIV/AIDS.

How to test for AIDS ?

There is no such thing as an AIDS test. The test is actually a HIV antibody test. The human body will produce anti-bodies in response to any infections. When HIV enters the body, the white cells will automatically produce anti-bodies to fight the virus. The HIV antibody test tests the presence of the HIV antibodies in our blood. If the antibodies are present, that indicates the person have been infected with the virus.

What is the Window Period?

As the HIV antibodies will appear only after 3 weeks to 6 months of infection, some infected people will test negative because their body hasn’t got around to producing antibodies. This period of time is referred to as the "window period." To ensure that one does not take the antibody test during the "window period," one should wait at least 12 weeks (3 months) from the time of possible exposure before taking the test. Anybody who tests negative but thinks that they have been exposed to the virus should consider having another test six months later.

Is a condom effective in preventing HIV?

Currently a condom, when used properly, is an effective mean of prevention against sexual transmission of HIV. To avoid the engagement in high risk behaviors, however, may be the final answer for AIDS prevention.

What are high risk sexual behaviors?

• Anal sex without condom (active or passive).
• Manual-anal intercourse (fisting).
• Oral-genital sex involving contact with semen or vaginal secretions.
• Oral-anal sex.
• Vaginal intercourse without condom.
• Sharing of sex toy.
• Use of saliva as lubricant.
• Blood contact of any kind including menstrual blood.

Can I tell if I'm infected with HIV? What are the symptoms?

The only way to determine for sure whether you are infected is to be tested for HIV infection. You cannot rely on symptoms to know whether or not you are infected with HIV. Many people who are infected with HIV do not have any symptoms at all for many years.

The following may be warning signs of infection with HIV:

• rapid weight loss
• dry cough
• recurring fever or profuse night sweats
• profound and unexplained fatigue
• swollen lymph glands in the armpits, groin, or neck
• diarrhea that lasts for more than a week
• white spots or unusual blemishes on the tongue, in the mouth, or in the throat
• pneumonia
• red, brown, pink, or purplish blotches on or under the skin or inside the mouth, nose, or eyelids
• memory loss, depression, and other neurological disorders

However, no one should assume they are infected if they have any of these symptoms. Each of these symptoms can be related to other illnesses. Again, the only way to determine whether you are infected is to be tested for HIV infection. Similarly, you cannot rely on symptoms to establish that a person has AIDS. The symptoms of AIDS are similar to the symptoms of many other illnesses. AIDS is a medical diagnosis made by a doctor based on specific criteria established by the CDC.