1. What is HIV?  How do people get it?

"HIV" stands for "Human Immunodeficiency Virus" — everyone says "HIV" for short.  It is a virus that can lead to AIDS.  HIV (the virus) can spread from one person to another when certain body fluids are shared or exchanged — blood, semen, vaginal fluids, and breast milk.  There are only a few ways that those body fluids are shared — by sexual contact, by sharing needles and/or syringes when taking drugs, through blood transfusions, during childbirth, and during breastfeeding.

2. What is the Difference Between HIV and AIDS?

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is the virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). The virus attacks the body’s immune system, making it much harder to fight off other germs or viruses. You cannot develop AIDS unless you are infected with HIV.

People with HIV are said to have AIDS when the disease has progressed and a doctor has determined that the person’s symptoms match the symptoms of AIDS. HIV can hide in your body for years without showing any symptoms. If you have HIV, you can transmit it to other people, even if you don't have any symptoms. The only way to know if you are infected with HIV is to have an HIV test.

People with HIV/AIDS can develop many health problems. These can include pneumonia, cancer, damage to the nervous system, and more. Some people develop these illnesses a year or two after being infected with HIV, while other people stay healthy for 10 years or more.

3. Can I get HIV through casual contact?

No!  HIV is not transmitted by day-to-day contact in the workplace, at school, or in social settings. HIV is not transmitted through shaking hands, hugging, or a casual kiss. You cannot become infected from a toilet seat, a drinking fountain, a doorknob, dishes, drinking glasses, food, or pets. HIV is not an airborne or food-borne virus, and it does not live long outside the body.

Remember that HIV is transmitted through exposure to any one of four body fluids – the blood, semen, vaginal fluid, or breast milk of someone with the virus.

4. Are some people at greater risk of HIV infection than others?

HIV does not discriminate. It is not who you are, but what you do that determines whether you can become infected with HIV. HIV is only transmitted though four body fluids: the blood, semen, vaginal fluids or breast milk of someone with the virus. Sexual intercourse is the most common mode of HIV transmission.  In the U.S., as many as half of all new HIV infections are now associated either directly or indirectly with injection drug use — for example, using HIV-contaminated needles to inject drugs or sexual contact with an HIV-infected drug user. HIV infection is spreading fastest in this country among young people, women, African Americans, and Hispanics.

Today, another person in the U.S. is infected with HIV every 9 1/2 minutes. Nearly half of the roughly 52,000 Americans newly infected with HIV each year are under the age of 25. And at least two young Americans become infected with HIV every hour of every day.

Today, at least 25% of the people living with HIV in this country became infected when they were teenagers.

5. How many people are living with HIV/AIDS in Virginia?

According to the Virginia Department of Health, the current number of people known to be living with HIV/AIDS is 20,593 (1st Quarter 2009 Report). The real number is much higher, however, because many people are living with HIV and don’t know it since they have not been tested.

Visit HIV/AIDS Data and Statistics to find more data about HIV in Virginia.

6. Where can I get tested for HIV?

There are many places to get tested for HIV throughout Virginia, and anonymous or confidential testing is free in most places. To find a location near you, you've come to the right website. Here you can find both public and private testing sites — at HIV Testing Sites

7. How long after a possible exposure should I wait to get tested for HIV?

The tests for HIV actually look for antibodies produced by your body to fight HIV. Most people will develop detectable antibodies within 3 months after infection, the average being 25 days. In rare cases, it can take up to 6 months.

But don't wait.  If you think you might be exposed to HIV, call the testing clinic, and ask your questions.  They are the experts, and can help you decide when to be tested.

Call the CDC National AIDS Hotline to obtain information and referrals to testing sites if you live outside of Virginia. The Hotline numbers are 1-800-342-2437 (English), 1-800-344-7432 (Spanish), or 1-800-243-7889 (TTY).

You can also find the phone numbers for local testing sites in Virginia at HIV Testing Sites

8. How Is HIV Prevented from Spreading?

Now that you know how HIV is spread, you have the first tools to keep from getting HIV.  Avoid sexual contact with another person without protecting yourself — safe sex — using condoms during sexual contact is the best way to prevent sharing semen and vaginal fluids.  Don't share needles or syringes — if you need to use a syringe for any reason, only use one that is new and still in its sterile package.  Pregnant women should tell their doctor if they have HIV — medicines are now available to prevent the spread of HIV from the mother to her unborn baby.  To further prevent the HIV to newborns, breastfeeding is not recommended for mothers who are also HIV-positive.

Another very important way to prevent the spread of HIV is through treatment!  Doctors today all agree that the HIV drugs do reduce the amount of HIV in the body.  When there is little HIV in the body's fluids, it's less likely to spread. Today, doctors recommend starting HIV medicines as soon as HIV is found, to both keep that person healthier longer, and to prevent the spread of HIV.

9. How is HIV/AIDS treated?

There still is no cure for HIV/AIDS. But there are very good medicines that can help to keep a person living with HIV healthy. There are other treatments that can prevent or treat the conditions and illnesses that are associated with AIDS.

Starting treatment soon after a positive HIV diagnosis is very important and there are doctors throughout Virginia who are knowledgeable about various drug therapies for the treatment of HIV/AIDS.

To find a doctor, call the HIV/STD/Viral Hepatitis Hotline: 1-800-533-4148 (toll free) or Email the Hotline: hiv-stdhotline@vdh.virginia.gov

10. How can I help fight HIV/AIDS?

Everyone can help in the fight against AIDS. Here are a few ways to make a difference in the fight against HIV/AIDS:

• If you are HIV positive, get in treatment.  HIV medicines can drop the number of HIV units in your body significantly, and can help prevent the spread of HIV from you to someone else.
• Talk with the young people you know about protecting themselves from HIV/AIDS.
• Urge government officials to provide adequate funding for AIDS prevention, medical care, and research.
• Speak out against AIDS-related discrimination!

Want to know more?

Visit http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/ OR

call Virginia's HIV/STD/Viral Hepatitis Hotline: 1-800-533-4148 (toll free) OR

Email the Hotline: hiv-stdhotline@vdh.virginia.gov

Sources for the above information include:
Centers for Disease Control
Virginia Department of Health
The Body: HIV and AIDS Facts
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services