1) What is HIV?
HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. HIV is a retrovirus that infects cells of the human immune system (mainly CD4-positive T-cells and macrophages—key components of the cellular immune system) and destroys or impairs their function. Infection with this virus results in the progressive depletion of the immune system, leading to immunodeficiency.
The immune system is considered deficient when it can no longer fulfil its role of fighting off infection and diseases. People with immunodeficiency are much more vulnerable to a wide range of infections and cancers, most of which are rare among people without immunodeficiency. Diseases associated with severe immunodeficiency are known as opportunistic infections because they take advantage of a weakened immune system
2) What is AIDS?
AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and describes the collection of symptoms and infections associated with acquired deficiency of the immune system. Infection with HIV has been established as the underlying cause of AIDS. The level of immunodeficiency or the appearance of certain infections are used as indicators that HIV infection has progressed to AIDS.
3) What are the symptoms of HIV?
Most people infected with HIV do not know that they have become infected. Immediately after the infection, some people have a glandular fever-like illness (with fever, rash, joint pains and enlarged lymph nodes), which can occur at the time of seroconversion. Seroconversion refers to the development of antibodies to HIV and usually takes place between one and two months after an infection has occurred.
Despite the fact that HIV infection often does not cause any symptoms, a person newly infected with HIV is infectious and can transmit the virus to another person. The way to determine whether HIV infection has occurred is by taking an HIV test.
HIV infection causes a gradual depletion and weakening of the immune system. This results in an increased susceptibility of the body to infections and cancers and can lead to the development of AIDS.
4) When does a person have AIDS?
The term AIDS applies to the most advanced stages of HIV infection.
The majority of people infected with HIV, if not treated, develop signs of AIDS within eight to 10 years.
AIDS is identified on the basis of certain infections. Stage 1 HIV disease is asymptomatic and not categorized as AIDS. Stage II (includes minor mucocutaneous manifestations and recurrent upper respiratory tract infections), III (includes unexplained chronic diarrhoea for longer than a month, severe bacterial infections and pulmonary tuberculosis) or IV (includes toxoplasmosis of the brain, candidiasis of the oesophagus, trachea, bronchi or lungs and Kaposi’s sarcoma) HIV disease are used as indicators of AIDS. Most of these conditions are opportunistic infections that can be treated easily in healthy people.
5) How can HIV be transmitted?
HIV is transmitted through penetrative (anal or vaginal) sex, blood transfusion, the sharing of contaminated needles in health-care settings and drug injection and between mother and infant during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding.
6) What is the risk of transmitting HIV through kissing or deep kissing?
Transmission through kissing on the mouth carries no risk, and no evidence has been found that the virus is spread through saliva by kissing.
7) What is the risk of transmitting HIV through body piercing or tattooing?
A risk of HIV transmission does exist if contaminated instruments are either not sterilized or are shared with others. Instruments that are intended to penetrate the skin should be used once, then disposed of or thoroughly cleaned and sterilized.
8) What is the risk of transmitting HIV through sharing razors with an infected person?
Any kind of cut using an unsterilized object, such as a razor or knife, can transmit HIV. Sharing razors is not advisable unless they are fully sterilized after each use.
9) Is it safe to have sex with a person living with HIV?
Having sex with someone living with HIV is safe if the person’s virus is fully suppressed by treatment. Sex is also safe if a condom is used properly or if you are taking pre-exposure prophylaxis in accordance with your health-care provider’s recommendations.
10) What is safer sex?
Safer sex involves taking precautions that decrease the potential of transmitting or acquiring sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, while having sex. Using condoms correctly and consistently during sex is considered safer sex, as is oral sex and non-penetrative sex or taking pre exposure prophylaxis if you are at risk of HIV infection or having undetectable viral load if you are living with HIV.
11) How effective are condoms in preventing HIV?
Quality-assured condoms are the only products currently available to protect against sexual infection by HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. When used properly, condoms are a proven and effective means of preventing HIV infection among women and men
12) How can injecting drug users reduce their risk of contracting HIV?
For injecting drug users, certain steps can be taken to reduce personal and public health risks:
Take drugs orally (change from injecting to non-injecting drug use).
Never re-use or share syringes, water or drug-preparation equipment.
Use a new syringe (obtained from a reliable source, e.g. a chemist or via a needle–syringe programme) to prepare and inject drugs each time.
When preparing drugs, use sterile water or clean water from a reliable source.
Using a fresh alcohol swab, clean the injection site prior to injection.
13) Are mosquito bites a risk of infection with HIV?
HIV is not spread by mosquitoes or other biting insects. Even if the virus enters a mosquito or another sucking or biting insect, it cannot reproduce in the insect. Since the insect cannot be infected with HIV, it cannot transmit HIV to the next human it feeds on or bites.
14) Should I be concerned about being infected with HIV while playing a sport?
There is no evidence that HIV can be transmitted while playing a sport.
15) Can I get HIV from casual contact (shaking hands, hugging, using a toilet, drinking from the same glass as someone who is living with HIV or being close to an infected person who is sneezing or coughing)?
HIV is not transmitted by day-to-day contact in social settings, schools or the workplace. You cannot be infected by shaking someone’s hand, by hugging someone, by using the same toilet or drinking from the same glass as someone living with HIV or by being exposed to coughing or sneezing by an infected person
16) Can you tell if someone has HIV just by looking at them?
You cannot tell if someone has HIV by just looking at them. A person infected with HIV may look healthy and feel good, but they can still pass the virus to you. An HIV test is the only way a person can find out if he or she is infected with HIV.
17) Can HIV Live Outside the Body?
Not for very long. Compared with other types of viruses, such as influenza or chicken pox, HIV is relatively fragile: It does not thrive at room temperature (68 degrees F), when exposed to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun, or at pH levels that are dissimilar to that of blood.
18) Are condoms the only effective way of preventing sexually transmitted infections?
Yes. Condoms have been proven to provide protection against sexually transmitted infections (STIs). In fact, condoms are the only contraceptive method that also provides STI protection. Condoms provide different levels of risk reduction for different STIs because infections are spread differently—some are spread by contact with bodily fluids while others are spread by skin to skin contact.
19) Will washing the penis or vagina after sex lower the risk of becoming infected with an STI?
Genital hygiene is important and a good practice. There is no evidence, however, that washing the genitals prevents STI infection. In fact, vaginal douching increases a woman's risk of acquiring STIs, including HIV, and pelvic inflammatory disease.
20) Who is more at risk of becoming infected with an STI, men or women?
If exposed to STIs, women are more likely to become infected than men due to biological factors. Women have a greater area of exposure (the cervix and the vagina) than men, and small tears may occur in the vaginal tissue during sex, making an easy pathway for infection.
21) Will having sex with a virgin cure someone with an STI, including HIV?
No. Instead, this practice only risks infecting the person who has not yet had sex.
22) What is the difference between a STD and STI?
STD stands for sexually transmitted disease, while STI stand for sexually transmitted infection. Not all sexually transmitted infections manifest in symptoms or turn into a disease. So although the terms are interchangeable, an infection does not always develop into a disease.
23) How often do condoms fail?
Compared to modern hormonal methods, condoms are less reliable and effective in protecting against pregnancy but they are the only method that will protect against STIs, including HIV/AIDS.
24) Is using two condoms better than one in avoiding pregnancy/HIV/STI?
Using two condoms at the same time-either two male condoms or a male and female condom- is not a good idea as the friction may result in one or both of the condoms tearing. If you want to take extra precautions against pregnancy when having sex, and are concerned about the possibility of a condom breaking it is better to use another form of contraception. For example, using a contraceptive pill, patch, vaginal ring or IUS as well as a condom will ensure that you both have double protection against pregnancy as well as protection against STIs.
25) What is the best way to get condoms?
It will depend on which country you are in, but in most countries, you can buy condoms from chemists and supermarkets. You can also get them from family planning clinics and some doctors.
26) Does using a male or female condom make sex less pleasurable?
Some people find that condoms interfere with spontaneity and sensation, but they can be fun to use once you have got used to how they need to be put on.
27) Can you use a condom under water?
If you are going to use a condom under water it is important that you put the condom on before you get into the water. Also, if the water contains chemicals such as chlorine, or additives such as soap, bath oil or bubble bath then this may affect the latex.
28) Can I reuse a condom?
No, reuse of any condom is not recommended – male or female. A new condom should be used every time you have intercourse.
29) Can I use lubricants with condoms?
Yes. Many condoms come already lubricated on the outside, inside, or both but you can always add more as long as the lubricant is either water-based or silicone-based. Oil-based lubricants, like baby oil or petroleum jelly, can weaken latex so you should not use these.7 Always check the instructions for use when choosing a lubricant for use with a condom.
30) What is TB?
Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by bacteria called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The bacteria usually attack the lungs. But TB bacteria can attack any part of the body such as the kidney, spine, and brain. If not treated properly, TB disease can be fatal. TB disease was once the leading cause of death in the United States.
31) How is TB spread?
TB is spread through the air from one person to another . The bacteria are put into the air when a person with TB disease of the lungs or throat coughs, sneezes, speaks, or sings . People nearby may breathe in these bacteria and become infected .
32) What are the symptoms of tuberculosis?
Cough for three weeks or more, sometimes with blood-streaked sputum
Fever, especially at night
Weight loss
Loss of appetite
33) What is the RNTCP?
TB is one of the leading causes of mortality in india. It kills more than 300,000 people in India every year.
34) Can tuberculosis be cured in HIV co-infection?
Tuberculosis can be cured, even among HIV-infected persons. TB treatment with DOTS reduces the morbidity and mortality among people living with HIV.
35) For how long must tuberculosis treatment be taken?
Tuberculosis treatment requires at least 6 months of treatment.
36) What is Multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis?
Multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) is caused by strains of the tuberculosis bacteria resistant to the two most effective anti-tuberculosis drugs available - isoniazid and rifampicin. MDR TB can only be diagnosed in a specialized laboratory.
37) What is harm reduction?
The term ‘harm reduction’ refers to policies, programs, and practices that aim to reduce the harm associated with drug use in people unable or unwilling to stop. The primary features of harm reduction are the focus on the prevention of harm (rather than on eliminating drug use itself) and the focus on people who use drugs.
38) What is the Syringe Service Program?
Syringe service programs (SSPs) provide a way for those people who inject drugs to safely dispose of used syringes and to obtain sterile syringes at no cost. Basically they bring used syringes to us and we provide them with new clean, sterile syringes.
39) What is drug addiction?
Addiction is a complex issue and affects everyone differently. This can depend on the type of drug used, amount used and the length of time the drug(s) have been used for. Some drugs are more physically addictive while others are mentally or socially addictive. Drug use can lead to tolerance and dependence.
Tolerance – This means that a person needs more of the drug to achieve the same effects they experienced previously with smaller amounts.
Dependence – This means that the drug becomes central to a person’s life and they feel they cannot function properly without it.
40) What Are the Long-Term Effects?
Heroin users quickly build up a tolerance to the drug, meaning that they need more of it or need it more often to achieve the same effect that they felt when they first used it. Consequently, with the increased usage, they can become addicted very quickly. Heroin also can cause physical and physiological changes and imbalances in the brain that are very difficult to reverse, even when the user gets clean and sober.
41) What Are the Treatments for Addiction?
Unlike some other drugs like methamphetamine, there are a variety of treatment options available to those who have a desire to stop using heroin. There are several medications available that help with quitting heroin that research has found to be effective if combined with other behavioral therapies. help line 1800 419 1800