Common Beliefs Concerning AIDS / HIV

For as many years as HIV and AIDS have been around, you'd think that everyone would know the facts. I recently found out that this is not true. I had an opportunity to attend a school meeting for parents and teens to discuss this subject. When the question portion of the meeting came around, I couldn't believe some of the things that people still believe to be true about HIV /AIDS.

1. I have just been diagnosed with HIV, I am going to die.
FACT: In the beginning, a diagnosis of HIV was considered to be a death sentence. HIV leads to AIDS, AIDS leads to death. However, with the ongoing research for AIDS treatments, the majority of people go on to live long, productive lives.

2. HIV can be cured.
FACT: At this time, there is no cure. Treatments can allow most HIV patients to live relatively normal lives while waiting for a cure to be found.

3. HIV is the same as AIDS.
FACT: Not true. HIV is a virus and AIDS is a collection of illnesses.

4. HIV survives for only a short time outside the body.
FACT: HIV in blood can live at room temperature outside the body for several hours if it dry and for several weeks if it stays wet.

5.HIV antibody testing is unreliable.
FACT: 96% of HIV antibody tests are correct and are therefore extremely reliable.

6. AIDS can be spread through casual contact.
FACT: HIV virus is spread through blood and semen. You cannot be infected by everyday normal contact.

7. HIV is transmitted by mosquitoes.
FACT: When mosquitoes bite a person, they do not inject the blood of a previous victim into the person they bite next.

8. Teenagers aren't really at risk.
FACT: HIV can infect anybody, regardless of any age, sex, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. The 15-24 year old females have the fastest growing rate of infection worldwide.

9. I can't have children because I am HIV positive.
FACT: Certain steps and precautions have to be taken, but women can now have babies with less than 3% chance of infecting their child.

10. We both have HIV so we don't need a condom.
FACT: Due to chances of re-infection, latex condoms should always be worn.