I'd assume most people know a thing or two about HIV, but I thought I'd share my HIV knowledge for those who don't. "Screwing" around is unhealthy and very dangerous for your health.
===========================
TYPES OF HIV
===========================
There are two types of HIV, HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-2 develops more slowly than HIV-1 but both will eventually lead to AIDS. HIV-2 is found predominantly in Africa. The prevalence of HIV-2 in the United States is very low.
===========================
HOW HIV WORKS?
===========================
HIV viruses take control of the T-cells (the commanders of the soldiers that fight against diseases in your body) and use the T-cells as barracks to produce new HIV viruses. Without the commanders, the army (your immune system) become useless.
===========================
WHAT IS AIDS?
===========================
One important distinction, HIV+ people do not neccesarily have AIDS. AIDS is a disease and HIV is the virus that cause AIDS.
Once your T-cell counts drop below 200 is when you considered to have AIDS. At this stage, your body is susceptible to any disease. A simple cold could become deadly.
It might take up to ten years to develop AIDS. However, recent drugs have proven to be effective in keeping the T-cell count high and viral load at an undetectable level. There have been cases where HIV+ people have lived healthily for 10 or 20 years. Magic Johnson is a proof.
===========================
HOW HIV SPREADS?
===========================
1) Unprotected sexual acts with unknown status partners.
Unprotected oral sex and tounge kissing is debatable. Saliva contain a small amount of HIV. However, you don't know if your partner has a cold sore or has gum disease. If you happen to have a cold sore and french kiss a partner with gum disease with active bleeding, there's a greater risk of HIV transmission. So, I'd recommend to better be safe than sorry. Put a condom on for any sexual acts that might involve exchanging of body fluids. Do not even french kiss an unknown status partner.
For example, a wonderful girl of a good family has a bad bf who has hundreds of other partners. He acquired HIV without knowing it and transmitted it to the girl. They broke up; 6 months later she met you. She still didn't even know she had HIV+. Let's say she had bad cold sores and you had gum disease. So you two decided to french kiss passionately. Although the chance is small, you can still acquire HIV this way.
These fluids have been proven to spread HIV:
blood
semen (precum does contain HIV)
vaginal fluid (yes, beware of cunnilingus especially if you have sores in your mouth or gum disease)
breast milk
other body fluids containing blood
In brief, stay away from any direct exchanging of any bodyfluids, even saliva since you don't know what might be mixing with it.
Sweat is not known to transmit HIV though.
2) HIV+ mother to unborn child
3) Sharing needles
===========================
HIV DOES NOT SPREAD BY
===========================
Mosquito bites or bites from other bugs.
Sneezes or coughs.
Touching, hugging or dry kissing a person with HIV.
The urine or sweat of an infected person.
Public restrooms, saunas, showers or pools.
Sharing towels or clothing.
Sharing eating utensils or drinks.
Being friends with a person who has HIV/AIDS.
===========================
SYMTOMS OF HAVING HIV
===========================
After you aquired the HIV virus, it will take 2-12 weeks to test positive. 12 weeks is called the "window period" where your body will produce enough antibodies to the newly acquired virus to test positive. Most of the times an HIV+ person will test positive at 12 weeks; however, in some rare cases, it might take up to 6 months. If you test negative at 12 weeks, it is recommended to retest again at 6 months. If you test negative at 6 months at a doctor office or using an FDA approved test, you can >99% be sure that you are HIV negative.
NOTE that many people will be perfectly healthy and do not show any symtoms at all after acquiring HIV but some will show the symtoms below at about 2-12 weeks after exposure:
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
===========================
HOW TO TEST FOR HIV?
===========================
If you show the symtoms above after a high risk activity such as having unprotected sex with an unknown status partner, then you should be tested.
There are several different ways of testings and you can do searches on Yahoo to find out.
If you're going to use a home test kit, only use an FDA approved kit such as "Home Access." Home Access is FDA approved and is proven to be as accurate as tests taken by doctors. Other kits are highly inaccurate and may give you false results.
Home Acces Express Kit Info:
You use the provided lancets(2 provided in case you mess up) to prickel your finger (no it doesn't hurt at all), then fill the circle on the provided paper with your blood. Mail it to a lab in the provided express envelop. Call in to register your code. If you mail Monday morning, the result is usually available on Wednesday night or latest Thursday. This will be the 3 longest days of your life. This kit is absolutely confidential and the result is 100% accurate in identifying an HIV+ sample.
===========================
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST FOR TREATMENTS?
===========================
HIV can only be subdued. To date, there has not been a cure for HIV.
HIV treatments can be very expensive. Average cost is $60/day x 365 = $21,900/year. So, unless you have health insurance or be damn rich, don't mess with HIV!
That's it for now, if you know of something to add feel free to educate the community. If I'm wrong on something, correct me. Be well.
===========================
TYPES OF HIV
===========================
There are two types of HIV, HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-2 develops more slowly than HIV-1 but both will eventually lead to AIDS. HIV-2 is found predominantly in Africa. The prevalence of HIV-2 in the United States is very low.
===========================
HOW HIV WORKS?
===========================
HIV viruses take control of the T-cells (the commanders of the soldiers that fight against diseases in your body) and use the T-cells as barracks to produce new HIV viruses. Without the commanders, the army (your immune system) become useless.
===========================
WHAT IS AIDS?
===========================
One important distinction, HIV+ people do not neccesarily have AIDS. AIDS is a disease and HIV is the virus that cause AIDS.
Once your T-cell counts drop below 200 is when you considered to have AIDS. At this stage, your body is susceptible to any disease. A simple cold could become deadly.
It might take up to ten years to develop AIDS. However, recent drugs have proven to be effective in keeping the T-cell count high and viral load at an undetectable level. There have been cases where HIV+ people have lived healthily for 10 or 20 years. Magic Johnson is a proof.
===========================
HOW HIV SPREADS?
===========================
1) Unprotected sexual acts with unknown status partners.
Unprotected oral sex and tounge kissing is debatable. Saliva contain a small amount of HIV. However, you don't know if your partner has a cold sore or has gum disease. If you happen to have a cold sore and french kiss a partner with gum disease with active bleeding, there's a greater risk of HIV transmission. So, I'd recommend to better be safe than sorry. Put a condom on for any sexual acts that might involve exchanging of body fluids. Do not even french kiss an unknown status partner.
For example, a wonderful girl of a good family has a bad bf who has hundreds of other partners. He acquired HIV without knowing it and transmitted it to the girl. They broke up; 6 months later she met you. She still didn't even know she had HIV+. Let's say she had bad cold sores and you had gum disease. So you two decided to french kiss passionately. Although the chance is small, you can still acquire HIV this way.
These fluids have been proven to spread HIV:
blood
semen (precum does contain HIV)
vaginal fluid (yes, beware of cunnilingus especially if you have sores in your mouth or gum disease)
breast milk
other body fluids containing blood
In brief, stay away from any direct exchanging of any bodyfluids, even saliva since you don't know what might be mixing with it.
Sweat is not known to transmit HIV though.
2) HIV+ mother to unborn child
3) Sharing needles
===========================
HIV DOES NOT SPREAD BY
===========================
Mosquito bites or bites from other bugs.
Sneezes or coughs.
Touching, hugging or dry kissing a person with HIV.
The urine or sweat of an infected person.
Public restrooms, saunas, showers or pools.
Sharing towels or clothing.
Sharing eating utensils or drinks.
Being friends with a person who has HIV/AIDS.
===========================
SYMTOMS OF HAVING HIV
===========================
After you aquired the HIV virus, it will take 2-12 weeks to test positive. 12 weeks is called the "window period" where your body will produce enough antibodies to the newly acquired virus to test positive. Most of the times an HIV+ person will test positive at 12 weeks; however, in some rare cases, it might take up to 6 months. If you test negative at 12 weeks, it is recommended to retest again at 6 months. If you test negative at 6 months at a doctor office or using an FDA approved test, you can >99% be sure that you are HIV negative.
NOTE that many people will be perfectly healthy and do not show any symtoms at all after acquiring HIV but some will show the symtoms below at about 2-12 weeks after exposure:
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
===========================
HOW TO TEST FOR HIV?
===========================
If you show the symtoms above after a high risk activity such as having unprotected sex with an unknown status partner, then you should be tested.
There are several different ways of testings and you can do searches on Yahoo to find out.
If you're going to use a home test kit, only use an FDA approved kit such as "Home Access." Home Access is FDA approved and is proven to be as accurate as tests taken by doctors. Other kits are highly inaccurate and may give you false results.
Home Acces Express Kit Info:
You use the provided lancets(2 provided in case you mess up) to prickel your finger (no it doesn't hurt at all), then fill the circle on the provided paper with your blood. Mail it to a lab in the provided express envelop. Call in to register your code. If you mail Monday morning, the result is usually available on Wednesday night or latest Thursday. This will be the 3 longest days of your life. This kit is absolutely confidential and the result is 100% accurate in identifying an HIV+ sample.
===========================
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST FOR TREATMENTS?
===========================
HIV can only be subdued. To date, there has not been a cure for HIV.
HIV treatments can be very expensive. Average cost is $60/day x 365 = $21,900/year. So, unless you have health insurance or be damn rich, don't mess with HIV!
That's it for now, if you know of something to add feel free to educate the community. If I'm wrong on something, correct me. Be well.
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