HIV and AIDS: How to Reduce Your Risk

AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is a disease caused by a virus called HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). HIV attacks the body's immune system. A healthy immune system is what keeps you from getting sick.

When people have AIDS, their bodies can't fight disease. They get sick easily and have trouble getting well. They usually die of an infection or cancer.

HIV can only be passed from person to person through body fluids, like blood, semen and vaginal fluid. The most common ways HIV is passed are:

You may be at risk of getting HIV if you have any of the risk factors listed in the box below. Children born to infected mothers can also become infected during pregnancy.

HIV can't live very long outside the body, so you can't get it through casual contact. You can't get the virus by touching, shaking hands, hugging, swimming in a public pool, giving blood, or using hot tubs, public toilets, telephones, doorknobs or water fountains. You also can't get it from food, mosquitoes or other insects.

You should think about getting tested for HIV infection if you think you're at risk. Most HIV antibody tests done by your doctor are accurate if they are done 3 to 6 months or longer after you think you may have been infected. It takes this long for the antibodies to show up in the blood.

You can buy home HIV test kits at drug stores and pharmacies. Home tests offer the advantage of privacy and anonymity. However, they are expensive and may not be covered by most health insurance plans.

Your doctor is concerned about you, your health and your privacy. If your lifestyle leads you to believe that you have HIV, you should see your doctor. He or she will help you decide if you should be tested and will give you the support you need before and after the test. You don't get this type of support with home tests.

However, if you are afraid to talk with your doctor about HIV or be tested even though you may be at risk, then a home test may be a good idea. If the test result is positive, you should see your doctor right away.

Remember, one negative test is not a guarantee that you don't have HIV or won't get it in the future. You should talk to your doctor and learn about ways to protect yourself from getting infected.

The best ways to protect yourself from getting infected with HIV are to:

You can't tell who's infected with HIV by how they look. It takes an average of 8 years for symptoms of AIDS to develop after a person is infected with HIV. So even people who don't look or feel sick can give you AIDS.

The "safest" sex is no sex. If you are having sex, "safer" sex is sex between 2 people who don't have HIV infection, only have sex with each other and don't abuse injectable drugs.

Safer sex also means using condoms if you have any doubts about whether your partner is infected or whether he or she is having sex with someone else. Use male latex condoms every time you have sex.

If a man doesn't want to use a male condom, use a female condom. Female condoms may not be as effective as male condoms, but they offer some protection.

Never let someone else's blood, semen, urine, vaginal fluid or feces get into your anus, vagina or mouth.

Using condoms the right way is important to make sure you are protected. Latex condoms should be used during all sex acts, including anal, vaginal and oral sex. If you are allergic to latex, use a polyurethane condom. For oral sex on a woman, she can use a condom split lengthwise to place between her body and her partner's mouth.

If you are thinking about using a spermicide, be aware that research has shown that spermicides containing nonoxynol-9 can cause genital irritation and increase your risk of catching an STI. However, using a condom with nonoxynol-9 is better than not using a condom at all.

Use only water-based lubricants (such as K-Y jelly) with condoms. Oil-based lubricants, such as petroleum jelly (such as Vaseline), baby oil or lotions, cause the rubber in condoms to break.

The best decision for your health is to get help for your drug abuse. If you do share needles and syringes, clean them twice with bleach and water to help kill HIV. Draw bleach into the syringe and needle, then squirt it out. Do the same with water. Do both steps again.