The facts on HIV/AIDS
What exactly is AIDS?
AIDS is a disease caused by a virus called HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. In this disease, HIV damages cells called CD4 or T4 cells, which are responsible for detecting germs, bacteria and other invading organisms in the body. When HIV destroys these cells, the body is more susceptible to disease and eventually, the onset of full-blown AIDS.
Some Facts:
The risk of contracting HIV from different sexual practices varies, and some are more likely to pass the virus than others. Anal intercourse without a condom is the riskiest activity for HIV transmission. The receptive partner (or “bottom”) is at risk because the anal area provides easy access to the bloodstream for HIV carried in semen. The insertive partner (or “top”) is also at risk because the membranes inside the urethra can provide an entry for HIV, possibly present in blood inside the anus, into the bloodstream.
In a heterosexual encounter, HIV passes more easily from male to female than vice versa. Therefore, the woman is at more risk. No matter what the gender of the partners.
Oral sex is the “grayest” area when discussing risk, and is very controversial.
In general, oral sex is much less risky for HIV transmission than anal or vaginal intercourse. But to properly assess risk, you must consider whether there is ejaculate, vaginal fluid, or blood present, because there are no absolute answers regarding oral sex and risk. A person receiving oral sex is generally not at risk, because that person is coming into contact only with saliva. (There is a theoretical risk of transmission if the person performing oral sex had blood in her/his mouth.) Many people find using a condom unacceptable and are practicing oral sex on men without ejaculation. They are coming into contact with pre-ejaculate fluid. There is no conclusive evidence that pre-ejaculate transmits HIV, but some studies suggest that HIV is present in this fluid. Although HIV may be present in pre-ejaculate, it is in very small amounts, and the mouth is not an easy path for transmission. This means unprotected oral sex without ejaculation is a very low risk activity for HIV transmission.
Performing oral sex on a woman who is menstruating increases the risk because blood has more HIV than vaginal fluid. There is little data on how often HIV is transmitted via oral sex from an infected woman to an uninfected man.
Urine does not transmit HIV. Even if the urine contained small amounts of blood, the fragile virus would be battered by acid, heat, friction, enzymes, and dilution. To transmit HIV, there would have to be a source of bleeding.
Kissing activity is not known to pose any risk for HIV infection. Saliva does not transmit HIV. One should be aware of cuts or sores in the mouth and, if concerned, not floss or brush right before French kissing. “Dry” or “social” kissing (with the lips closed) poses no risk for transmitting HIV.
With solo masturbation there is no fear of self-infection. Anything done solo is okay as long as someone else's infectious fluids are not present.
Body Massage, Hugging, Rubbing
With only skin-to-skin contact, these activities are risk free. This includes body-to-body rubbing.
Which body fluids can transmit the HIV virus, and which don't?
Blood, pre-cum, semen, vaginal secretions, and breast milk all contain high concentrations of HIV, and all have been linked to transmission of the virus.
Saliva, tears, sweat and urine can have the virus in them, but in such small concentrations that nobody has ever been infected through them. However, if any body fluid is visibly contaminated with blood, the risk of transmission exists.
If you think you may have been in contact with someone who is HIV positive or has AIDS, it is important to get tested. The maximum period of time that an infected person will show positive on the test is six months. By this point in time, more than 99 per cent of infected persons will show positive on the test. This is as accurate as any test in medicine could ever be.
For the most accurate test result, you must wait six months after your last possible exposure to the virus (or anytime after that). At six months, the tests are more than 99 per cent accurate. Also, if a person tests negative at the time that they are showing chronic, ongoing symptoms, that indicates that their symptoms are not AIDS-related.
AIDS is a disease caused by a virus called HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. In this disease, HIV damages cells called CD4 or T4 cells, which are responsible for detecting germs, bacteria and other invading organisms in the body. When HIV destroys these cells, the body is more susceptible to disease and eventually, the onset of full-blown AIDS.
Some Facts:
The risk of contracting HIV from different sexual practices varies, and some are more likely to pass the virus than others. Anal intercourse without a condom is the riskiest activity for HIV transmission. The receptive partner (or “bottom”) is at risk because the anal area provides easy access to the bloodstream for HIV carried in semen. The insertive partner (or “top”) is also at risk because the membranes inside the urethra can provide an entry for HIV, possibly present in blood inside the anus, into the bloodstream.
In a heterosexual encounter, HIV passes more easily from male to female than vice versa. Therefore, the woman is at more risk. No matter what the gender of the partners.
Oral sex is the “grayest” area when discussing risk, and is very controversial.
In general, oral sex is much less risky for HIV transmission than anal or vaginal intercourse. But to properly assess risk, you must consider whether there is ejaculate, vaginal fluid, or blood present, because there are no absolute answers regarding oral sex and risk. A person receiving oral sex is generally not at risk, because that person is coming into contact only with saliva. (There is a theoretical risk of transmission if the person performing oral sex had blood in her/his mouth.) Many people find using a condom unacceptable and are practicing oral sex on men without ejaculation. They are coming into contact with pre-ejaculate fluid. There is no conclusive evidence that pre-ejaculate transmits HIV, but some studies suggest that HIV is present in this fluid. Although HIV may be present in pre-ejaculate, it is in very small amounts, and the mouth is not an easy path for transmission. This means unprotected oral sex without ejaculation is a very low risk activity for HIV transmission.
Performing oral sex on a woman who is menstruating increases the risk because blood has more HIV than vaginal fluid. There is little data on how often HIV is transmitted via oral sex from an infected woman to an uninfected man.
Urine does not transmit HIV. Even if the urine contained small amounts of blood, the fragile virus would be battered by acid, heat, friction, enzymes, and dilution. To transmit HIV, there would have to be a source of bleeding.
Kissing activity is not known to pose any risk for HIV infection. Saliva does not transmit HIV. One should be aware of cuts or sores in the mouth and, if concerned, not floss or brush right before French kissing. “Dry” or “social” kissing (with the lips closed) poses no risk for transmitting HIV.
With solo masturbation there is no fear of self-infection. Anything done solo is okay as long as someone else's infectious fluids are not present.
Body Massage, Hugging, Rubbing
With only skin-to-skin contact, these activities are risk free. This includes body-to-body rubbing.
Which body fluids can transmit the HIV virus, and which don't?
Blood, pre-cum, semen, vaginal secretions, and breast milk all contain high concentrations of HIV, and all have been linked to transmission of the virus.
Saliva, tears, sweat and urine can have the virus in them, but in such small concentrations that nobody has ever been infected through them. However, if any body fluid is visibly contaminated with blood, the risk of transmission exists.
If you think you may have been in contact with someone who is HIV positive or has AIDS, it is important to get tested. The maximum period of time that an infected person will show positive on the test is six months. By this point in time, more than 99 per cent of infected persons will show positive on the test. This is as accurate as any test in medicine could ever be.
For the most accurate test result, you must wait six months after your last possible exposure to the virus (or anytime after that). At six months, the tests are more than 99 per cent accurate. Also, if a person tests negative at the time that they are showing chronic, ongoing symptoms, that indicates that their symptoms are not AIDS-related.
