About Human Immunodeficiency Virus

About Human Immunodeficiency Virus


The Human Immunodeficiency Virus: is the virus that causes AIDS. It is primarily transmitted through these four bodily fluids:

1. Blood
2. Semen
3. Vaginal fluid and cervical fluid
4. Breast milk

• Can be transmitted during oral, anal, and vaginal sex with a man or a woman who is infected with .
• Can be passed when sharing needle equipment with someone infected with during use of drugs.
• Can be passed from a pregnant women to her child before birth, during birth, or after birth through breast milk.
• Can be passed through a transfusion of infected blood or blood products.

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome:
AIDS is the set of symptoms and diseases that are caused by immune deficiencies as a result of infection. AIDS usually develops between 12-15 years after infection and is diagnosed when one or both of two criteria are met: the patient either develops an opportunistic infection or has a T-cell/CD4 count of less than 200 per 1 mL of blood (an immune system assay performed in a laboratory). An opportunistic infection is a disease that infects a person with a compromised immune systerm. AIDS, or the onset of many of these opportunistic infections, is almost always fatal.

Prevention of :
People can prevent the transmission of through abstaining from sexual contact, practicing safer sex, abstaining from IV drug use, and cleaning injection works before sharing them. Latex or polyurethane condoms, male and female, can greatly reduce the risk of transmission when used during oral, anal, and vaginal sex. Plastic wrap, cut-up condoms, dental dams, and latex gloves can also provide protection when performing oral sex on a woman or against the anus. Only water-based lubricants (”lotions,” NOT “oils”) should be used, because any oil-based substance will break down latex.

Antibody Testing:
The ONLY way to tell if you are infected with is through a test performed in a clinic or laboratory. There are several different kinds of tests available, but the most common is the ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), which is a test for the presence of antibodies in the blood. The presence of specific antibodies, manufactured by the body in defense, is a positive indication that the patient is infected with . Rapid tests, which also test the presence of antibodies, are available at greater cost (and in fewer locations). These tests show results within 20 minutes and are most commonly used to test people who encounter needle sticks or other occupational hazards. The antibody test can be performed either by drawing blood through a needle or through OraSure, a needle-free method in which a swab of the patient’s cheek is taken.

When to be tested for :
If you are currently or have in the past engaged in any activities that may put you at risk for infection, if you and your partner have chosen to engage in unprotected sex, if you are considering pregnancy or if there is a chance you may become pregnant, or if you have had unplanned or forced unprotected sex, then an test is a good idea. It can take up to six months for antibodies to appear in an infected person’s blood, therefore a negative test result means only that the patient was not infected with in the six months prior to the test. Tests as soon as 3 months after possible exposure are generally 95% accurate, however. A postive result means that antibodies are present in the patient’s blood, indicating infection.

Testing at Vaden:
Both Anonymous and Confidential testing are available through the Vaden Student Health Center. Both are free. Anonymous testing, in which the patient’s name and identity are never recorded (the patient will make up a name), is accompanied by peer counseling by trained student staff members. In addition the peer program offers the Orasure test, which uses fluid from the cheek instead of blood to test for . Confidential testing, in which the patient’s name and results are recorded but may not be accessed except by authorized persons (i.e. NOT by the public), is administered through a doctor. Results are available one week after testing. Call Vaden at by dialing VADEN from a campus phone, or 650-497-2336 for appointments.

More Information:

• CDC National AIDS Hotline: 1-800-342-2437 24 hours, 7 days
• AIDS Treatment Information Center: 1-800-448-0440 12-5pm EST, M-F
• San Francisco AIDS Foundation Hotline: 415-863-2437 9am-9pm M-F
• Planned Parenthood: 650-574-2622