Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)

[aliboss]

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
What it is:
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome is caused by Human Immuno-deficiency (HIV) infection. HIV infects the cells in the blood that fight off infection, and AIDS occurs when the immune system has been so weakened that it can't fight off infection effectively.
How you get it:
HIV is transmitted when the blood, semen, vaginal secretions and breast milk of an infected person enters the bloodstream of another person. This can happen through visible or invisible tears in the skin, vagina, penis, anus or lining of the mouth. The longer a body fluid with the virus is at the point of entry into the bloodstream, the greater the chance of infection.
*The most risky activities are unprotected anal or vaginal sex, or sharing needles.
Diagnosis:
The HIV antibody test (aka "AIDS test" or "HIV" test) checks for the antibodies produced by the immune system to help fight infections and indicates if you've been infected by HIV. A Positive result means you've been infected and can pass on the virus, but doesn't tell you how healthy you are or when you were infected. A Negative result means you haven't been infected, but it takes up to 3 months after infection for your body to produce the antibodies so remember to wait at least 3 months after your last unsafe sexual experience, or needle contact before being tested.
*Knowing your HIV status can be a good thing: either you'll be happy you're negative, or you can start taking steps to stay healthy if you are infected. Since it can take up to 10 years before HIV-related symptoms occur, getting tested is a good idea even if you feel healthy.
**Doctors are required by law to report the names of people who test positive to the health department. However, many clinics have been set up to provide anonymous testing so that no one can track your results, or even know that you've been tested. Contact your local AIDS agency, Health department or Men and Women's clinic to find out about anonymous testing in your area. Your school health clinic would also know.
Treatment:
There are various medications on the market to help combat the various infections related to AIDS, including the most common: AZT and the cocktail therapy of which it is comprised. However, there are many drugs in their preliminary stages which have shown promising results at reducing the viral count in the bloodstream. Also, many people have turned, with varying resuts to holistic healing (eg. naturopaths, homeopathic medications). AIDS agencies would have the most up to date information and would be more than willing to discuss it with you.
Prevention:
There are many precautions that should be taken in order to reduce the risk of infection. The first is knowing what the risks are. According to the Canadian AIDS Society, sexual activities have been divided into four risk categories:
No risk:
No exchange of semen, vaginal fluids or blood e.g. Dry kissing, masturbation (alone or with partner), using an unshared sex toy, golden showers
Theoretical risk:
An exchange of blood, semen or vaginal fluids but no reports of infection.eg. Wet kissing, oral sex on a man wearing a condom, oral sex on a woman with a latex barrier, masturbating a partner, fisting (anal or vaginal), anilingus (rimming), using a shared and washed sex toy
Low risk:
An exchange of blood, semen or vaginal fluids with few reports of infection eg.oral sex on a man without a condom, oral sex on a woman without a latex barrier, vaginal or anal intercourse with a condom
High risk:
An exchange of blood, semen or vaginal fluids with many reports of infection eg. vaginal or anal sex without a condom, penetration by a shared and unwashed sex toy
*Activities that pierce the skin, like body piercing and tattooing, are high risk activities and need sterile environments and needles.
*For sadomasochistic acts, the same risk guide applies, but be extra careful with activities that draw blood.
USE CONDOMS!
Use a condom every time you have sexual activities that involve contact with the penis. Be sure to put the condom on before intimate contact because STDs can be found in pre-cum, semen, vaginal fluids, saliva, urine and feces

[mytonse]

Informative !!

[*Saira*]

very disturbing!