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Frequently
Asked Questions |
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Q: What
is the difference between "HIV " and "AIDS"?
A: "HIV ", which
is the abbreviation for Human Immunodeficiency Virus,
is the name of the virus that causes the
syndrome ("syndrome" means 'set
of diseases') known as Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, "AIDS".
-
One
can be infected with the virus
HIV and yet, not always have the
symptoms of AIDS.
-
AIDS is
the terminal phase of the HIV spectrum
of disease whereby the HIV virus
attacks the T-cell lymphocytes
and eventually destroys the body's
immune system. When HIV weakens
the immune system, the person is
much more likely to get infections
from organisms that would normally
be repelled by our immune system.
AIDS results from these "opportunistic" infections
that our immune system cannot fight
because it has been weakened by
Q: What
is the best way to prevent HIV infection?
A: The
only 100% way to
prevent HIV infection
is to be abstinent --
from sex (vaginal,
anal, oral) and
from use of injection
needles (drugs,
tattoos, body piercing).
You cannot tell
by looking at someone
-- or even asking
someone -- if they
are infected. Most
people infected
with HIV are asymptotic
-- feel fine, look
great! Therefore,
there are a lot
of people who are
HIV positive (and
don't even know
it) who are having
sex with a lot
of people who don't
know if they are
even infected.
Therefore, if you
and your partner
decide to have
sex, you both should
first get tested.
If both of your
are HIV negative
and neither is
fooling around,
you might be safe.
But, since many
people lie about
their present and
past sexual experiences,
it would be wise
to always use
a condom -- a latex
condom with the
spermicide nonoxynol
-9. Remember, condoms
can break so there
is a potential
risk. No sex is
100% safe.
Q: Where
can I get free condoms on campus?
A: Visit
the Health Clinic
or the Wellness Center
located in the
Health and Wellness
Center on either
the University
Park campus or
the Biscayne Bay
Campus. The Health
and Wellness Center
also supplies the
following locations
with free condoms:
Counseling Center,
campus Housing,
and the Fitness
Center.
Q: Where
can I get tested for HIV ?
A: Call
the Student Health Clinic at (305)348-2401
(University Park) or (305)919-5620
(Biscayne Bay Campus) to set up a confidential
HIV blood antibody test with a registered
nurse certified HIV counselor. The
cost is $15.00 payable by check or
money order at the time of service.
You will be given a 30 minute pretest
counseling session which will enable
you to ask questions. Results will
be available in one week; you will
see the same HIV counselor to receive
your results. No results will be given
over the phone or to anyone but you.
Periodically throughout the year, the
Dade County Health Department will
visit the Health and Wellness Center
to offer free anonymous HIV tests.
Check the Healthy Happenings section
of this web site for dates and times.
Finally, you can also have the HIV
test performed in your private doctor's
office or a public health clinic.
Q: Can
I become infected with HIV from
oral sex?
A: It
is possible. Oral
sex often involves
semen, vaginal
secretions, or
blood -- fluids
that contain HIV.
HIV is transmitted
by the introduction
of infected semen,
vaginal secretions,
or blood into another
person's body.
During oral intercourse,
the virus could
enter the body
through tiny cuts
or sores in the
mouth.
Q: Are
condoms necessary if my partner
is taking the Pill?
A: Absolutely
necessary.Taking
the Pill will
only help prevent
pregnancy but
the Pill does
not protect against
any sexually
transmitted disease,
including Chlamydia,
gonorrhea, syphilis,
herpes, hepatitis,
and HIV.
Q: Can
I become infected with HIV from
a mosquito bite?
A: No.
The AIDS virus does not live in a mosquito
and it is not transmitted through a
mosquito's salivary glands like other
diseases such as malaria or yellow
fever.
Q: I
had a blood transfusion recently.
When should I be tested for HIV
?
A: It
is very unlikely
that you acquired
HIV since all
donors are thoroughly
screened; however,
the risk is not
zero. You should
have an HIV antibody
test (blood or
saliva) performed
within three
months and a
second test six
months later
as it may take
as long as six
months before
the antibody
to HIV is able
to be detected
by the test.
Q: I
am about to have elective surgery.
What can I do to decrease my risk
of getting HIV through a blood
transfusion?
A: At
least three or
four weeks before
your scheduled
surgery, you should
go to a blood bank
(American Red Cross,
Community Blood
Centers, or the
South Florida Blood
Banks) to give
a pint of blood.
Tell them that
you are giving
this blood for
your possible use
post-op. This is
called an autologous
transfusion. Let
them know when
and where you will
be having the surgery
so they can make
arrangements. Note
that each blood
bank organization
provides blood
products to only
certain hospitals
and surgi-centers
so you should check
with the three
blood banks in
South Florida listed
above to find out
which bank will
service your medical
facility.
Q: Is
it possible to become infected
with HIV by donating blood?
A: No.
There is absolutely no
risk of HIV
infection from
donating blood.
Blood banks use
a new, sterile
needle for each
donation.
Q: Can
I become
infected
with HIV
from "French" kissing?
A: Not
likely. HIV can
be found in minute
amounts in saliva
but in concentrations
so low that it
is virtually
impossible to
transmit infection
by deep kissing.
However, the
possibility exists
that cuts or
sores in the
mouth may provide
direct access
for HIV to enter
the bloodstream
during prolonged
deep kissing.
Therefore, blood
to blood contact
could occur in
the mouth which
then could result
in HIV transmission.
Q: What
is the proper way to use a condom?
A: You
can significantly
decrease your chances
of infection with
HIV or any other
sexually transmitted
disease if you
always follow this
list of instructions:
-
Use
a latex condom every time you
have sex -- anal, oral, or vaginal.
Latex serves as a barrier to
the virus. "Lambskin" or
natural membrane condoms are
not good because the pores in
these materials are too large
allowing the relatively small
HIV virus to easily penetrate.
-
Check
the expiration date. Do not use
if the condom has expired.
-
Be
very careful when opening the
package so you don't inadvertently
pierce the condom with your fingernails.
-
Use
only water-based lubricants (KY
jelly). Never use oil-based lubricants
such as petroleum jelly, baby
oil, etc. as they will weaken
the latex condom and cause it
to break.
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As
soon as the penis becomes erect,
put the condom on it.
-
Leave
a small space in the top of the
condom to catch the semen, or
use a condom with a reservoir
tip. Remove any air that remains
in the tip by gently pressing
toward the base of the penis.
-
After
climax (ejaculation), withdraw
the penis and condom while the
penis is still erect, holding
on to the rim of the condom while
pulling out so that it doesn't
slip off.
-
Never
use a condom more than once.
-
Q:
What vaccines can/should someone
who is HIV positive receive?
A: Hepatitis
B (all three doses),
Hepatitis A (both
doses), Tetanus,
Influenza ("flu
shot"), Pneumococcal
("Pneumonia
shot").
-
Note
concerning the MMR (measles-mumps-rubella)
vaccine: People with HIV
who are severely immunocompromized
may not be candidates for this
vaccine. Discuss this with
your health care provider.
People born before 1957 are
usually considered immune and
one dose is recommended for
those born after 1956 if that
person has not been previously
vaccinated.
-
No
oral polio vaccine should be
given. Inactivated polio
vaccine (IPV) is the only polio
vaccine recommended for hiv-positive
individuals and their contacts.
-
Vaccine
for chickenpox (Varicella)
should NOT be given to hiv-positive
individuals. However, children
who share a household with
an HIV positive person should
be immunized so that "wildtype" chickenpox
is not spread to the immunocompromized
person.
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