WE ARE ALL AFFECTED BY HIV - WHAT YOU CAN DO TO FIGHT HIV & AIDS

EVERYONE SHOULD GET TESTED AND KNOW THEIR HIV STATUS

Many people feel that if they are infected with HIV they would rather not know. Others will not take a test because they are afraid that they could not handle the results. No matter what the results of your HIV test are, remember that knowledge is power. Some very important facts about the fight against HIV & AIDS are:

• If you test HIV negative, you will be educated about how the virus is transmitted and about the lifestyle changes that you can make immediately in order to protect yourself from becoming infected with HIV or another sexually transmitted disease.
• It you test HIV positive, you can begin to receive specialized HIV treatment immediately; treatment of HIV early in the disease will help you to stay healthy longer and may delay the progression to AIDS and the onset of some of the more serious complications of HIV disease. It is very important that you receive regular care from a provider who specializes in the treatment of HIV & AIDS. To find a provider in your area, go to www.directory.poz.com
• If you test positive, you will be given information about where to go for medical care, financial and case management services, and emotional support.
  
• If you are HIV postive you can take extra precautions to prevent the spread of HIV to your loved ones and sexual partners.
• If you are a woman and are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, you need to know your HIV status. If you are HIV positive, there are medications that are safe for you and your unborn baby that can help to prevent your baby from becoming infected.

Anyone who has unprotected oral, vaginal, or anal sex or who shares needles is at risk of becoming infected with HIV. You owe it to yourself and to others to take an HIV test and to learn what we can do to prevent the spread of the virus. To learn more about where to go for a test in your area, how the test is done, how and when you will receive results, and about confidentiality and anonymity, go to http://www.hivtest.org

If your healthcare provider does not suggest an HIV test, ask for one; ask your sexual partners to get tested, also.

Respect yourself by protecting yourself. Pledge to use a condom/ask your partner to use a condom with each and every intimate sexual act. We all have the power to fight HIV & AIDS. Let's use that power and stand up and fight this disease!

MYTHS ABOUT HIV TRANSMISSION

I am amazed that so many people in the U.S. and other developed and scientifically advanced areas of the world are still clinging to false beliefs about HIV and AIDS. With that in mind, it is no wonder that AIDS is such a major problem in the under-developed nations, where the people do not have the benefit of the advanced healthcare systems, education, and scientific research that so many in the U.S. take for granted.

I read the following statement on a forum recently. It was written by a user identifying him/herself as being from the United States: "Straight people don't get AIDS".
The person went on to explain in a rather lengthy post that in the U.S. most of the people who are becoming infected are gays and drug addicts. Then, to make it even more disturbing, approximately 1/3 of the respondents to the post agreed with the original statement, although there was some argument from people who were trying to portray the facts and the truth. It kind of makes me think that we're beating our heads against the wall!

The fact is that the majority of HIV positive people worldwide are heterosexual, and even in the U.S. the rates of new HIV infections are increasing most rapidly among heterosexuals (women of color, specifically). Although the rates of transmission between homosexual men in the U.S, which had been down for years, is once again starting to climb (most likely due to complacency and the fact that more effective treatments are available which make HIV a less frightening disease), homosexuals are not the fastest growing group of new infections. Transmission through needle sharing among IV drug users is also way down, thanks to government sponsored needle exchange programs.

I hope that everyone reading this post faces the reality that the majority of people worldwide are heterosexual. HIV and AIDS knows no limits. It can, and does, affect and infect all types of people, irregardless of their sexual preferences. A straight man can infect a straight woman or another man, a straight woman can become infected by a bisexual man, a bisexual man can become infected from a straight woman or a gay man... HIV risk is about BEHAVIOR, not about the LABELS that society puts on groups of people.

Anyone who has unprotected sex or is intimate with another person is at risk. A straight man or woman who has unprotected sex just once puts themselves at a much greater risk for HIV than a gay man who has protected and safe sex with another gay man who is known to be HIV positive.

HIV prevention starts with educating yourself about the facts and then using that knowledge to educate others. Only then can we even hope to stop this epidemic. False beliefs based on discrimination and stigma towards certain groups of people will only hinder or efforts.

WEIGHING THE RISKS OF UNPROTECTED SEX

When it comes down to making choices about using a condom or not, it is very simple:
unless a couple is in a serious, committed, monogamous relationship and the HIV and health status of each partner is known (through recent medical testing), condoms should be used for each and every intimate sexual encounter. Condoms need to be used correctly every time, from start to finish, with no exceptions if they are to effectively prevent infection with sexually transmitted diseases, HIV, or pregnancy.

There really is no "choice" here. Other than abstinence, condoms are the only effective way to prevent infection with diseases which range from annoying and embarrassing to life-altering and life-threatening. Trust in the person and the fact that a potential sexual partner looks healthy has nothing to do with it. Whether you trust a person or not does NOT tell you whether they are walking around with HIV replicating in their body, ready to pass it on to you. The person may look healthy, be active and athletic, and may be the most trustworthy and kind person that you have ever known and still have HIV. Unprotected sex without knowing the facts is always unsafe sex.

As for sex being more pleasurable without a condom, I disagree. An intimate sexual relationship between two people who care about each other is a complete connection, irregardless of a condom. Sensation and pleasure can even be enhanced if the right condom is chosen; the couple should experiment with different high-quality condoms to find one that is mutually pleasurable. There are thousands of couples in the U.S. alone where one partner is HIV positive and condoms must be used throughout their marriage. These people will attest that the condoms do NOT make their sex any less pleasurable.

Those who have the mindset that using a condom robs them of sexual pleasure are playing roulette with their lives. I don't think that AIDS is a very pleasurable thing, either. In this day and age, we don't have a choice in this. It is up to each and every one of us to make responsible decisions if we are to ever stall the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The choices that you make affect you as well as anyone else that you have "pleasurable unprotected sex" with. Do the right thing and use a condom.

WHAT IS THE "CAUSE" OF GENITAL HERPES?

I read this question on a forum I was at tonight, and I was astounded at the answers. There is definitely a lack of understanding about genital herpes, as well as other sexually transmitted diseases (STD's) and HIV / AIDS. Bacteria and viruses "cause" these diseases; human carelessness or lack of knowledge and understanding is what gives the bacteria and viruses a way to infect people...

Infection with the Herpes Simplex II virus is the ONLY cause of genital herpes, however there are many ways to become infected with the virus. When most people think of genital herpes, they think of lesions on the vulva of a woman or the penis of a man. The name "genital" herpes is misleading, as this virus can cause outbreaks in the genital area, anal area, as well as in and around the mouth, depending on where the virus enters the body. I have even seen genital herpes lesions around the eye of a person who was giving oral sex to an infected partner and got seminal secretions around the eye. Oral lesions are quite common; they can be on the lips, inside the mouth on the cheeks, and even at the back of the throat spreading down the esophagus. Anal lesions can be on the outside as well as on the inside, and one can imagine how painful that would be. The hallmark of a new genital herpes outbreak is painful vesicular (small blister-like) lesions surrounded by redness. There may be just 1 or 2 lesions, however if it is an initial outbreak it is generally more severe and extensive, with clusters of multiple lesions. The infected person may feel fatigued for a day or so before the outbreak, and there may be some altered sensations at the site where the lesions will develop (such as numbness or tingling). Once the lesions appear, they are extremely painful. There is treatment for genital herpes outbreaks as well as antiviral medication that can be taken to suppress the virus and prevent or minimize the occurrence of future outbreaks, however the diagnosis and medical treatment of herpes is beyond the scope of this article.

The best way to prevent infection with genital herpes, as with any sexually transmitted disease including HIV (other than complete abstinence), is to have sex only in the context of a monogamous relationship where the status, history, and habits of your partner are known and trusted. Otherwise, avoiding multiple sexual partners and always using a condom, with every single intimate act, from start to finish, provides the best protection. This includes all acts of oral, vaginal, and anal sex, whether you are "giving" or "receiving". You should always avoid intimate contact with someone who appears ill or who has visible genital, anal, or oral lesions as well as someone with vaginal or urethral discharge. Keep in mind, however, that just as someone can appear to be completely healthy and actually be HIV positive, someone can have no visible genital lesions and can still be shedding the herpes virus. It is possible to become infected with genital herpes even when your partner has no visible lesions. It is also possible to have contact with an area that is shedding the virus and is not covered with the condom, such as the scrotum or area around the anus.

The only "good" thing about genital herpes is that it is now very treatable and much easier to control than it was several years ago. Remember, though, that it is still a chronic disease, and there is a stigma that comes along with it. I should also mention here that it is very common for all sexually transmitted diseases to occur along with other sexually transmitted diseases. If you don't practice safe sex, you could end up with genital herpes, HIV, and maybe gonorrhea or chlamydia along with it... The days of "free love" and "if it feels good, just do it" are long gone. We need to remember that every sexual encounter that we choose to become involved in could have life-altering and even life-threatening implications. That is the message that needs to reach everyone- teenagers, young adults, and even senior citizens.

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