Just The Facts (About AIDS)

WHAT DOES "AIDS" MEAN?

AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome :

• Acquired means you can get infected with it;

• Immune Deficiency means a weakness in the body's system that fights diseases.

• Syndrome means a group of health problems that make up a disease.

AIDS is caused by a virus called Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). If you get infected with HIV, your body will try to fight the infection. It will make special chemicals called "antibodies" that are supposed to fight HIV. Unlike many viruses that are defeated by our antibodies, Human Immunodeficiency Virus actually successfully attacks the antibodies designed to fight it and other diseases.

When you get a blood test for HIV, the test is really looking for these antibodies. If you have them in your blood, it means that you have HIV infection. People who have the HIV antibodies are called "HIV Positive".

If you are infected with the HIV virus, is not the same as having AIDS. Many people are HIV positive but don't get sick for many years. As HIV disease continues, it slowly wears down the immune system. Many illnesses that aren't dangerous to most people can make you very sick if your immune system is damaged. These illnesses include many viruses, bacteria, fungal infections and unusual cancers. Doctors call these infections "opportunistic infections" because they take advantage of a person's weakened immune system from HIV or cancer.

HOW DO YOU BECOME INFECTED WITH HIV?

Contrary to popular belief HIV is not easy to contract if you use some common sense.
You can get HIV from the direct blood-to-blood contact of an infected person, the semen (cum) of an infected person, from contact with vaginal fluid of a woman infected with HIV and from breast milk. You can get HIV from anyone who's infected, even if they don't look sick, even if they haven't Most people get the HIV virus by:

Having unprotected sex with an infected person.

Sharing a needle (shooting drugs) with someone who's infected with HIV disease.

Babies, born of mothers infected with HIV disease, also can contract HIV either before birth or by drinking the mother's breast milk.

Years ago, people used to get infected with HIV from blood transfusions or using blood plasma products to treat various medical conditions. Now, this is rare in The United States, Canada and Europe because the blood supply is throughly tested to keep it safe.

You can't get HIV from tears or saliva, but it is possible to be infected with HIV through oral sex, especially if you have open sores in your mouth or bleeding gums.

In the United States, there are about 800,000 to 1,000,000 people who are HIV+. Over 300,000 people are living with AIDS. Each year, there are about 40,000 new infections. In the mid-1990s, AIDS was a leading cause of death. However, newer treatments have cut the AIDS death rate significantly. Even though deaths from the HIV virus are less because of new treatments, the number of people becoming newly infected (especially young people) is on the rise.

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU'RE HIV POSITIVE?

You might not know if you get infected by HIV. Some people get fever, headache, sore muscles and joints, stomach ache, swollen lymph glands, or a skin rash for one or two weeks. Most people think it's the flu. Some people have no symptoms.

The virus will multiply in your body for a few weeks or even months before your immune system responds. During this time, you won't test positive for HIV, but you can infect other people.

When your immune system responds, it starts to make antibodies. When you start making antibodies, you will test positive for HIV.

After the first flu-like symptoms, some people with HIV stay healthy for ten years or longer. But during this time, HIV is damaging your immune system.

One way to measure the damage to your immune system is to see how many CD4+ cells you have. These cells, also called "T- cells, are an important part of the immune system. Healthy people have between 500 and 1,500 CD4+ cells in milliliter of blood.

Without treatment, your CD4+ cell will probably go down. You might start having signs of HIV disease like fevers , night sweats, diarrhea, or swollen lymph nodes. If you have HIV disease , these problems will last more than a few days, and probably continue for several weeks.

WHAT IF YOU TEST HIV POSITIVE?

If you test positive for the HIV virus, your life isn't over ! You will probably experience many emotions. This is normal. Many people still panic when they get test HIV positive. For many people, it seems like a death sentence. This was true when HIV disease was first discovered. It is not true today! In recent years, scientists developed numerous drugs which fight HIV disease and also the Opportunistic Infections which people get when they have HIV disease. These drugs do not cure HIV disease, but they slow down the damage which that HIV disease and Opportunistic Infections do to your body.

If you test HIV positive, try not to panic. Hopefully the doctor or clinic who told you that you're HIV positive tell you about local support services. It is important to have a strong emotional support system when you're HIV positive. If you live in an area without good local support services or if your doctor doesn't know of any , there are many excellent places where you can find referrals and information on the Internet. This site, http://www.aidsjourneys.org ,offers online discussion areas and confidential email support groups. Another great site, http://www.projectinform.org , provides comprehensive information about local, regional, and national resources in the United States. Project Inform also has a Toll Free telephone number (from the United States and Canada) where you can actually talk to a live, trained person who has a huge database of information about everything from support groups to treatment information at his or her fingertips. If you ask, Project Inform will also send you detailed printed material about drug interactions and effects, Opportunistic Infections and other related information free of charge. The folks at http://www.aidsmap.com not only have a comprehensive site but also publish some of the most comprehensive and up-to-date materials on HIV and AIDS anywhere in the world. The site is funded by the British government and by private British AIDS foundations. You can find other excellent online resources in our Partners on the Journey section.
When using the Internet to get information about AIDS, you must be very careful. This site, those above, and those in our Partners on the Journey section work hard to provide good, medically sound information, but there are many "flaky" sites out there which give false information or promote untested and sometimes dangerous "cures" or treatments. On sites, like ours, which offer open discussion areas and confidential email support lists, some people may post opinions about the cause, treatment or cure of HIV / AIDS which are not medically sound.

Although online chat, bulletin boards and email support groups can provide good support, they do not replace the personal support -- and friendships -- you'll find in local, face-to-face real world support groups.

If you test HIV positive, your doctor will probably do some additional blood tests. These blood tests check your CD+4 count and also your viral load. Your viral load is the amount of the HIV virus circulating in the blood plasma (the fluid between your blood cells). Depending on your results, your doctor may want you to take medications to fight the HIV disease and related Opportunistic Infections. If your doctor is not a specialist in treating HIV disease and related conditions, you might want to see a specialist in HIV Disease or Infectious Diseases . It is important to have a doctor who is up on the latest research and treatments because scientists are discovering new things about HIV / AIDS almost daily. If your doctor puts you on medication to treat HIV disease and other Opportunistic Infections, you probably will experience some really nasty side effects because the drugs used to treat the disease and other infections make major changes to the way our bodies work. For most people, many of these side effects will stop or decrease with time as your body adjusts to the drugs. It is very important that you get the latest information about the drugs your doctor prescribes and learn all about them. Project Inform and http://www.aidsmap.com are two great places to get this information. If you are put on medication, often called "the cocktail", it's important to take the drugs EXACTLY as your doctor tells you. Anytime you miss a dose, or take it at the wrong time, the HIV disease in your body may change. It may be able to fight the drugs and grow. HIV virus is really hard to fight because it mutates (changes) many times in just a day. If you don't keep fighting it with the drugs, it may become drug resistant and your doctor may not be able to help you slow it down. You should never skip a dose or take a "drug holiday" without approval from your doctor.

Help Getting Medications and Treatment

The medications used to treat your HIV disease and related opportunistic infections are very expensive. On average, these drugs cost over $3000 (per patient) a month in the United States. In the United States, there are various programs to help you pay for your Anti-HIV medication and the drugs that treat Opportunistic Infections. All states have ADAP (AIDS Drug Assistance Programs) , which are funded and by the Federal government and sometimes by state funds. These programs are authorized under Title II of the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act , operate in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Because ADAP (AIDS Drug Assistance Programs) give different benefits in each state, you should check the information for your state for specific guidelines and benefits. The above link gives current information about the various ADAP programs as provided by each state and links to each state's ADAP web site.
If you have health insurance thorough a current employer, you may be able to get your medications paid for through your prescription benefit plan. In many cases, state Medicaid programs can also pay for your treatment and HIV/AIDS drugs. If you don't qualify for ADAP programs and/or Medicaid, the companies that make AIDS drugs have Drug Assistance Programs .
If you live outside the United States, you may find information about funding your HIV treatments and medications from international sites like aidmap.com.

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE AIDS?

The medical definitions of when HIV disease becomes AIDS has changed over the years because of scientists discovered new things about how the HIV virus affects our bodies and because of pressures to refine the definition from those who budget for health care. As one author commented (in HIV And AIDS Treatment DirectoryAugust, 2001 , London: National AIDS Manual Publications, 2001): "Although each definition may represent a refinement, this process tends to include more individuals, rather than less, and so people can find that overnight they are being categorised as having AIDS , with no real change in their physical status." (p.5)

When HIV disease becomes AIDS also differs depending on where you live in the world. In the United States, The Centers for Disease Control (C.D.C.) , a federal agency, defines AIDS one way. The European Union defines AIDS another way and The WHO (The World Health Organization) , yet another.

The C.D.C. Definition

According to the "new" Centers For Disease Control definition (1993), HIV disease becomes AIDS when your immune system is so damaged that you have less than 200 CD4+ cells or you get an opportunistic infection. The Centers for Disease Control wrote an official list of those opportunistic infections which define AIDS when somebody has a T-Cell count of less than 200. You don't need to have all of the opportunistic infections on the lengthy list to have AIDS.

Some of the common opportunistic infections on this list include:

Recurrent bacterial pneumonia ;
Cryptosporidiosis (infection by a parasite, which lives on the lining of the gastro-intestinal tract, especially the small bowel) with diarrhea lasting more than one month
PCP (Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia ), a lung infection;
KS (Kaposi's sarcoma), a skin cancer,
CMV (Cytomegalovirus), an infection that usually affects the eyes,
Candida, a fungal infection that can cause thrush (a white film in your mouth) or infections in your throat or vagina,
Herpes Simplex Virus causing prolonged skin problems or which causes complications in the lungs or oesophagus.

EUROPEAN DEFINITIONS OF AIDS

European countries have also incorporated the three new clinical conditions into their AIDS definitions, but they do not use a CD4 count below 200 as part of the definition. (source: HIV And AIDS Treatment Directory August, 2001, p. 5. and http://www.aidsmap.com )

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION DEFINITION OF AIDS

Because the clinical definitions of AIDS in both the new CDC definition (1993) and the definition used by countries in the European Union are not really helpful in developing (third world) countries, the World Health Organization has developed a definition.

Using the World Health Organization definition for developing countries, AIDS in an adult is defined by the existence of at least two major signs and one minor sign in the absence of other known causes of immunosuppression such as cancer or malnutrition. A positive HIV test is not required for a diagnosis of AIDS.

Major signs are defined as:
weight loss of more than 10%
diarrhea lasting more than one month
fever lasting more than one month

Minor signs are defined as:
candida in the mouth or oesophagus
cough lasting more than one month
widespread itchy rash
recurrent shin widespread herpes simplex infection lasting more than one month
persistent generalised lymphadenopathy

The diagnoses of Kaposi's sarcoma and cryptococcal meningitis are sufficient in themselves for a diagnosis of AIDS.

Regardless of which definition you use...

The AIDS syndrome also includes serious health problems that can kill you. Many people experience serious weight loss, memory loss / brain damage (similar to Altzheimer's syndrome), other neurological difficulties, brain tumors, infections of the heart, liver failure and other serious side effects. These, too, can kill you without treatment.

AIDS acts differently in each person.. Some people die shortly after getting infected, while others live fairly normal lives for many years, even after they "officially" have AIDS.

IS THERE A CURE FOR AIDS?

There is no cure for AIDS. There are drugs that can slow down the HIV virus, and slow down the damage to your immune system. But there is no way to get all the HIV virus out of your body. No drugs prevent the spread of AIDS to other people!

There are other drugs that you can take to prevent or to treat some of the opportunistic infections Usually, these drugs work very well. . Many Opportunistic Infections, however, are still very difficult to treat.

How Do You Keep From Getting the HIV Virus or Giving It To Others

It's easy not to get the HIV virus. The easiest way NOT to get infected with the HIV virus is not to have sex and not to use illegal, recreational drugs. Saying NO to drugs and practicing sexual abstinance until you are ready to make a life long commitment to ONE person, who has tested HIV negative, are the most sure ways NOT to become infected with HIV.
Today this isn't realistic for many people. Even if you are sexually active it is easy NOT to become infected with HIV.

When you have sex, use a condom. Whether you are having vaginal or anal sex, use a condom. Do not allow someone to ejaculate (cum) in you and do not ejaculate (cum) into someone else.
When you have oral sex, use a condom, whether you are giving someone a blowjob or someone is giving you a blowjob.
If you're giving somebody a blowjob, don't let them ejaculate (cum) in your mouth and do not swallow it.
If you are having oral sex with a man or woman's butt (rimming), also use a "dental dam" or peice of plastic wrap over the butthole.
Do not brush teeth right before performing oral sex on someone.
The practice of "douching" (anal enemas) before passave anal sex ("taking it up the butt") increases the chances of getting exposed to the HIV virus.

Kissing, hugging,caressing and other petting cannot infect you with HIV virus and if you have the virus, you cannot give it to others this way.

As mentioned above, saying NO to illegal, recreational drugs also decreases your risk of being infected with the HIV virus because when you are high you might poor choices that you would not make when their not high. If you do use illegal, recreational drugs, you can do some basic steps to decrease your chances of being infected with the HIV virus:

If you inject (shoot) drugs, always use your a clean needle. Always use your own works for the fix and do not share your needle (works) with others. Do not share cookers with anyone.

Always carefully clean your needle using the following instuctions:

How to clean works

Step 1: Draw clean water all the way up into your set, shake it, and squirt it out. Repeat that process three times.

needle cleaning graphic a

Step 2: Then do it twice with full strength household bleach. Try to leave the bleach in for two minutes each time.

needle cleaning instructions 2

Step 3: Finally, flush again, three times, with clean water. Clean the cooker by rinsing well with bleach, and never reuse cotton.

needle cleaning graphic 3

To remember the details, think 3-2-3, and remember: be patient.Bleach is only effective if you let it work for two minutes, which is a long time if you're dope-sick. But if you don't wait, you may risk infection. (sources: http://www.lapublichealth.org/std/stdneed.htm , Los Angeles County Department of Health Services - Public Health
Sexually Transmitted Disease Program , GMAC .

MORE DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT HIV VIRUS INFECTION, AIDS, TREATMENT AND PREVENTION CAN BE FOUND AT OUR PARTNER'S ON THE JOURNEY PAGE.

This article was written forAidsJourneys.Org by The Rev. Robert A. Weiter, M.S.W. An ordained clergyman, he is currently the Pastor of Shalom Community Christian Church ( a congregation of The International Council of Community Churches ) in Saint Louis, Missouri. He is also the Director of Shalom Community Christian Church's Pastoral Counseling and AIDS Ministry. Rev. Weiter, earned a degree in Theological Studies from St. Louis University and his Master in Social Work (M.S.W.) from Saint Louis University School of Social Service. He previously served as the Assistant Pastor and Pastor of several United Methodist congregations, served on the Ministry Team (as Minister of Pastoral Care and Counseling) at Epiphany United Church of Christ in St. Louis, Mo. Pastor Weiter is an experienced psychotherapist and pastoral counselor who worked in mental health agencies in both Missouri and Indiana. He has served as the Associate Director of an outpatient addiction and abuse treatment facility, Executive Director of a mental health and community services agency, was Program Director of a Juvenile Offender Treatment Program and maintained a private practice. Rev. Weiter did graduate work in marriage and family therapy at Washington University (St. Louis); alcoholism and addictions both at The University of Missouri – Kansas City and at Rutgers University School of Alcoholism (New Jersey), Juvenile Sex Offender Treatment at The University of Nevada – Reno. He did graduate studies in Theology and philosophy at The University of Notre Dame (Indiana) and Christ Seminary – Seminex (St. Louis), which is now merged with Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, and Eden Theological Seminary (St. Louis). His current or past professional associations include The National Association of Social Workers, associate membership in The National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, the National Juvenile Court Services Association. He is a member of The Order of Saint Luke, a recognized, ecumenical religious order of The United Methodist Church. Pastor Weiter is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Clinical Field Education at Saint Louis University School of Social Service. He worked with the Treatment Education Department at St. Louis Effort for AIDS while studying at Eden Theological Seminary. Pastor Weiter is a member of The Saint Louis Interfaith AIDS Network.Rev. Weiter was recently awarded a "National Leadership Award" by The Republican National Congressional Committee and serves on The Business and Advisory Council. Rev. Weiter is HIV+ and serves as a member of The Ryan White Title I Planning Council for The St. Louis Region as an “Affected Community Member” appointed by Saint Louis Democratic Mayor Francis Slay.

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