ASG facts about hiv/aids

HIV FACTS

HIV IS A DISEASE OF BEHAVIOR!
What you decide to do in the heat of the moment may kill you…

You Cannot Get HIV By:

Breathing air of someone infected
Shaking hands
Sneezing or coughing
Sharing food, plates, cups or forks
Toilets, tubs or swimming pool
Insect bites
Kissing

HIV Is Only Transmitted By:
Semen, vaginal fluids, blood and breast milk.

HIV Statistics

Women represent the fastest growing segment of new HIV diagnosis.
11% of all new AIDS cases are in people 50 years of age and older.
It is estimated that half of all new HIV infections in the U.S. are among people under the age of 25.

What is AIDS?

AIDS – the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome - is a disease you get when HIV destroys your body’s immune system. Normally, your immune system helps you fight off illness. When your immune system fails you can become very sick and can die.

History of HIV (CDC)

The first cases of AIDS were identified in the United States in 1981, but AIDS most likely existed here and in other parts of the world for many years before that time. In 1984 scientists proved that HIV causes AIDS.

Anyone can get HIV. The most important thing to know is how you can get the virus.
You can get HIV:

By having unprotected sex- sex without a condom- with someone who has HIV. The virus can be in an infected person’s blood, semen, or vaginal secretions and can enter your body through tiny cuts or sores in your skin, or in the lining of your vagina, penis, rectum, or mouth.
By sharing a needle and syringe to inject drugs or sharing drug equipment used to prepare drugs for injection with someone who has HIV.
From a blood transfusion or blood clotting factor that you got before 1985. (But today it is unlikely you could get infected that way because all blood in the United States has been tested for HIV since 1985.) Babies born to women with HIV also can become infected during pregnancy, birth, or breast-feeding

You cannot get HIV:

By working with or being around someone who has HIV.
From sweat, spit, tears, clothes, drinking fountains, phones, toilet seats, or through everyday things like sharing a meal.
From insect bites or stings.
From donating blood.
From a closed-mouth kiss (but there is a very small chance of getting it from open-mouthed or "French" kissing with an infected person because of possible blood contact).