Another World Aids Day-People Still Don't Heed

How did I get HIV? This is the question many men, women, teens and pre-teens are asking today. Their partner had no symptoms. They were not sick with an unusual type of lung infection (pneumonia) called Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (PCP). There were no skin tumors called Kaposi's sarcoma. The individual probably did not ask to see the results of the last HIV test. The test notes a severe reduction of a type of cell in the blood that is an important part of the immune system, called CD4 cells. These cells, often referred to as T cells, help the body fight infections. People with "flu-like" or "mono-like" symptoms, and engage in high risk behaviors should be tested.

Despite whether or not there are symptoms, HIV is present in the blood and genital secretions of virtually all individuals infected with HIV. The spread of HIV can occur when these secretions come in contact with tissues such as those lining the vagina, anal area, mouth, or eyes, or with a break in the skin, such as from a cut or puncture by a needle. The most common ways in which HIV is spreading throughout the world include sexual contact, sharing needles, and by transmission from infected mothers to their newborns during pregnancy, the delivery process, or breast-feeding.

Today, there are heterosexuals engaged in high risk behavior. Individuals whose partner thinks they are in mutually monogamous relationship like marriage. These high risk individuals may be men who have sex with men (MSM), men/women with multiple sex partners, and injection drug users. Sexually active teens who are not in a long-term, mutually monogamous relationship.

HIV can be spread to individuals forced to have sex such as rape or incest with children (pedophiles) and adults. Here's the math. According to the U.S. Department of Justice's National Crime Victimization Survey - the country's largest and most reliable crime study - there were 272,350 sexual assaults in 2006 (most recent data available). Only 60% of rapes are reported. 40% of the rape victims are not going to be treated in a timely matter. This is an increase risk for contracting HIV.

There have been only a few studies on the prevalence of sexual assault within correctional facilities. Victimization, particularly sexual assault by a same-sex perpetrator, is a sensitive event that introduces complexities for collecting self-report data. Data collection from juveniles also requires consent from parents or legal guardians.