About HIV
How can you get HIV
Testing for HIV
HIV in Sri Lanka
What is HIV?
HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It affects the cells of an individual’s immune system. An individual diagnosed with HIV is said to be ‘HIV positive’ or ‘HIV +’.
Why is HIV dangerous?
The HIV virus is dangerous because it attacks an individual's immune system, gradually making it impossible to fight off even the smallest of infections e.g.: Flu, cough etc because of this an HIV infected person can become ill from the slightest of infections.
What’s the relationship between HIV and AIDS?
While HIV is the Virus incorporated with this deadly epidemic, AIDS = Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome is the disease phase of it.
When the HIV virus enters the body, it comes into contact with the body’s defense system. HIV overpowers white blood cells and makes its way into other body cells, living on them, destroying them and multiplying at a rapid rate.
Antibodies (chemical substances that a body produces to kill organisms attacking it) to the virus are produced. The body produces and releases antibodies into the bloodstream anywhere from six weeks to six months from the point of infection. This six-week
to six-month period (shorter or longer depending on the particular body) is called the “window period.”
When the amount of viruses in the body reaches a high point and the amount of body cells that are supposed to fight off disease reaches a low point, the body is more open to other infections. Various diseases then take over the body. This is when the person
may be said to be living with AIDS.
The bodies of people with HIV and AIDS look different from each other on the outside. People with HIV look healthy, while people with AIDS look unhealthy.
A person who is HIV positive can live for several years, looking just like a person who is not HIV positive. There are no signs on the person’s body to show that he or she is carrying the virus.
People who are HIV positive develop AIDS (or can be said to “live with” AIDS) when they have three or more signs of the syndrome (collection) of diseases . Those with AIDS may have signs such as significant weight loss, thinning hair and skin diseases etc…
People who live with AIDS may not only look sick, but also feel sick. Diseases take over the body because HIV has broken down the body’s defense force or resistance (the immune system).
A person living with AIDS can return to feeling well when diseases are
treated and symptoms disappear.
People don’t actually die of AIDS. Death usually comes after a series of illnesses and when the body finally succumbs to one or more of the diseases which take over in the AIDS stage.
Those with HIV and those with AIDS lead very different lives. People with HIV can get on with their lives as usual, taking extra care with their health; those with AIDS may be too sick to carry on normally. They need care and medical treatment.
How is HIV transmitted?
HIV is transmitted through
Blood transfusion
Breast milk from an infected Mother to her child during pregnancy, child birth or breast milk.
Unprotected sexual intercourse with an infected person.
Injecting drugs through shared instruments such as needles.
HIV virus CANNOT be transmitted by
Shaking hands, touching, hugging, sneezing, coughing or through the saliva of an infected person
Sharing crockery and cutlery
Sharing towels / linen / Cloths
Eating off the same plate.
Sharing a swimming pool
Eating food made by an infected person
Sharing toilets/washrooms
Insect bites such as from a mosquito.
Working with HIV infected people.
Symptoms
Did you know that a person infected with HIV may look and feel perfectly normal and might not show any symptoms at all for many years? It is also not possible to simply look at a person and say whether they are infected or not.
Some of the symptoms of AIDS are:
Prolonged fever
Abnormal and rapid loss of weight
Repeated loose motions
Repeated cough / cold which does not go away
Any infection that is not getting cured despite taking medicines.
Blood test
The only 100% accurate way of knowing one’s status is through a blood test. The HIV virus does not have a static shape and will not show in a blood test. The test is to identify the presence of the HIV antibodies. which take a period of 3 – 6 months to form, this is called the Window Period. Therefore it is important to get tested every 6 months in order to know your status.
What is the Window Period?
The window period is the time it takes for HIV infection to show in a usual blood test which will detect the antibodies to the virus in an HIV-infected person.
The window period can last from six weeks to six months. Different bodies take different lengths of time to produce and release the antibodies, sometimes called “clues” to the virus.
During the window period, the commonly used tests cannot detect the antibodies to the virus. Therefore, if someone is tested during that period, the test result will be negative even though they are infected.
Why is it important to know about the window period?
During the window period, a person can unknowingly infect another person
One has to be careful about giving and taking blood or engaging in sexual activity.
Those who know about the window period will understand that they must take a second test after about six months to know if they are infected with the HIV virus or not.
One must abstain from sex, or practice safe sex, until sure of ones HIV status.
Testing centers
The only 100% accurate way of knowing is through a blood test. The list of testing centers are given in the resource page click here
Controlling HIV
We are fortunate that HIV infections are still at a low rate with less than 1% amongst the adult population in the country (Sri Lanka). Yet, HIV may spread rapidly in the years to come because of;
Low levels of awareness amongst the age groups most at risk.
Poverty
Migratory work force
Displaced People (Due to the tsunami over 20,000 people are still living in refugee camps thus the unhygienic surroundings and frustration can be yet another reason for the spread of HIV in Sri Lanka.)
Proximity to India (This is due to the reported HIV cases in southern Indian being very high, therefore due to travel etc.. to India the chances of contraction can be higher)
Alcoholism
Civil unrest
A growing demand for paid sex.
A gradual increase in casual unprotected sex.
Low condom usage.
If infected with a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) the possibility of spreading HIV increases. An important approach in preventing HIV is treating STI at an early stage.
Types of STI
Syphilis
Chancroid
Herpes
Gonorrhea
Chlamydia
Symptoms in Men
Discharge from the penis
Pain during urination
Sores or blisters around the genital area
Both Men and Women
Sores, lumps, blisters or rashes in or near the sex organs or mouth
Burning pain while passing urine or having a bowel movement; fever, chills and aches, like flu
Unusual swelling and itching around the pubic area
You may not have these symptoms but may still have an STI and infect others.
Seek treatment from a qualified doctor
Complete the course of treatment even if symptoms subside
All sexual partner/ s must also be treated.
Your responsibility
Read and educate yourself as much as possible about HIV and share this valuable information with as many friends as you can.
Creating awareness about HIV is step No. 1 in reducing the number of new HIV positive cases in our country.
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