What is HIV?

HIV, which stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, is a virus that affects the body’s immune system.

The immune system is what keeps our bodies healthy.

The HIV virus arracks the CD4 Cells (also called the T cells), which are the cells which fight other infections and viruses.

Losing CD4 cells from the body means that it cannot fight against these infections and the person becomes very ill.

Is there a difference between HIV and AIDS?

Yes.

HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. When a person becomes HIV+ it means that the HIV cells are present in their body. They may have no symptoms at all.

AIDS develops when more than one opportunistic infection attack the body. Opportunistic infections are infections that take the opportunity to attack the body when the immune system is compromised (weakened). Examples of Opportunistic infections are pneumonia and tuberculosis (TB).

HIV doesn’t kill anyone directly. It’s when the immune system is too weak to fight off these infections that someone dies.

So a person may be HIV positive without having AIDS.

How does HIV spread?

HIV lives in bodily fluids, such as sperm and vaginal fluids, so HIV can only be caught when infected fluids enter your body.

HIV can be caught in various ways:

• Unprotected sexual intercourse with an infected person

• Contact with an infected person's blood

• From mother to child

• Use of infected blood products (all blood products are heat treated in the UK to prevent the spread of HIV)

• Sharing needles with infected persons when injecting drugs

Can you tell if a person is HIV positive?

When HIV first infects a person they may have few or no symptoms, so it is not always possible to tell whether someone has HIV.

Even if someone who has HIV does not have symptoms it is still possible to catch HIV from them.

What else?

It is not possible to catch HIV by:

• sharing crockery and cutlery

• insect / animal bites

• kissing

• touching, hugging or shaking hands

• eating food prepared by someone with HIV

• toilet seats

• caring for someone with AIDS

The only way to stay safe is:

Never have unprotected sex

Never use needles that have already been used

True or false?!

1) There are only two types of STI
2) Using a condom can help to prevent the spread of STI’s
3) Only prostitutes and sailors get STI’s
4) STI’s can be caught from dirty toilet seats
5) Both men and particularly women may have an STI and not notice any signs of symptoms
6) You can only catch STI’s once
7) STI’s can only be passed on if a man and a woman have sex
8) If a man has strange stuff leaking from his penis he should not worry about it
9) The more sexual partners you have the greater the risk of getting an STI
10) If you go to the GUM Clinic with infection your GP will always be told
11) If STI’s are not treated early a woman may be unable to get pregnant
12) If you think you have a STI you should tell your sexual partner(s)
13) A woman with an STI can pass it on to her baby
14) HIV and AIDS are the same thing
15) There is no cure for AIDS

IF THERE IS NO GLOVE THERE IS NO LOVE, BABY!

Here are some common excuses, and some handy responses to them

E Don’t you trust me?
R Trust isn’t the point, people can have infections without realising it.

E I can’t feel a thing when I wear a condom; it’s like having a shower with a raincoat on!
R There are loads of different types of condoms; some of the new ones can actually make sex feel better for both of us.

E I don’t have a condom with me/The machine in the gents was empty.
R It’s ok, I’ve got one on me/Then lets not take the risk/Lets go and buy some and try out the different styles.

E Just this once
R Once is all it takes to get an infection or get pregnant/Lets not risk it.

E I’m on the pill, you don’t need a condom
R The pill only protects against pregnancy not infections.

E We’ve already done it without one
R Right, that was a mistake, lets be smart and not repeat it.

E I’ll lose my erection by the time I put the condom on
R You won’t lose it the way I’m going to put it on you!!!

E It’s too embarrassing to buy condoms
R It’s ok I’ll get them for us/You can get them from toilets where you won’t be seen by anyone.

E They are too expensive, I can’t afford them
R I know loads of different places to get them for free, besides even buying a few condoms is cheaper than having a baby

E Condoms smell and taste terrible
R Let’s try some flavoured ones, I like the mint ones, have you tried them yet?

E They hurt me and cut the blood off-I’m too big
R Let’s pick up some extra large ones then big boy!

E They are too dry and make it uncomfortable
R We can get some lube then it won’t feel bad

E Putting it on takes too long and it spoils the mood
R I love it when you take your time

E I’m allergic to condoms
R We can try non latex ones, they are made from polyurethane and don’t cause reactions like latex do.

E You are carrying a condom around with you? Were you planning on seducing me then?
R No I always carry condoms around with me that way I always know I’ll be safe, you should as well.

E I don’t use condoms
R Shame because I don’t have sex without one/I’m not doing it without one so we’ll just have to see how desperate you get/All the more reason for me to use one with you then/How many times have you had unprotected sex before?

E I don’t need to use a condom, I haven’t had sex in …. Months, so I’d know if I had any diseases
R That’s good to know, and as far as I know I’m disease free too, but lots of diseases and infections don’t show any side effects for years, so lets be safe.

E I love you
R Then you should respect me and show you love me by wearing a condom for me.

E No one else uses them, why should we be so different?
R Because a lot of people who didn’t use them now have STI’s, I’d rather not share their STI’s too.

Remember it’s YOUR health; YOUR future; YOUR body and YOUR decision too. Stay safe PROTECT YOURSELF!

IF IT’S NOT ON, IT’S ALL OFF