Top HIV Questions, Updated 2023
On writing the top 10 questions on HIV, we are committed to delivering in English that can provide updated and valuable information to readers. HIV, as we know, is a dangerous virus that causes serious disease affecting millions of people and is big burden for healthcare systems worldwide. It makes it difficult for the body of infected persons to fight infections and diseases, as it attacks the immune system. When HIV left untreated, it can progress to AIDS, a fatal condition. In this article, we will provide answers to the 10 top questions people ask about HIV.
What is HIV?
This is the top question asked by newbies, when first time reading about the virus. HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, that attacks the immune system. When a person is infected with HIV, the virus attacks and destroys specific cells in the immune system, called CD4 cells or T cells. As the virus destroys these cells, the body becomes less able to fight off infections and diseases.
1- The Top Question About HIV Transmission
How is HIV transmitted?
Though this is question was repeated so many times, many people are confused about the spread of the virus. HIV is transmitted through the exchange of certain bodily fluids, including blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and breast milk. The most common ways HIV is transmitted are through unprotected sex, sharing needles It can also spread from infected mother to her child during childbirth or breastfeeding.
The best way to prevent HIV transmission is to avoid the exchange of bodily fluids with someone who is infected with HIV. However, in some cases, individuals may engage in activities that put them at risk of infection. In these situations, it’s important to take precautions to reduce the risk of transmission.
The following are some effective ways to prevent HIV transmission:
- Use condoms during sexual activity: Using a condom every time you have sex can significantly reduce the risk of HIV transmission. Make sure to use a new condom each time you have sex and follow the instructions carefully.
- Limit your number of sexual partners: Having multiple sexual partners can increase the risk of HIV transmission. Try to limit your number of partners and avoid sexual activity with someone who is infected with HIV.
- Avoid sharing needles: Sharing needles or syringes with someone who is infected with HIV can lead to transmission of the virus. If you use drugs, make sure to use a clean needle and syringe each time.
- Take pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP): PrEP is a medication that can reduce the risk of HIV transmission for individuals who are at high risk. Talk to your healthcare provider to see if PrEP is right for you.
- Take post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP): PEP is a medication that can prevent HIV infection after a potential exposure. It’s important to start PEP as soon as possible after exposure, ideally within 72 hours.
Which Activities Are Most Likely to Transmit HIV?
tes of HIV infection in the United States are anal sex, vaginal sex, and shared needles. Of these, unprotected anal sex poses the highest risk. Here is the estimated probability of acquiring HIV from an infected source, per exposure act, according to the CDC:
- Receptive anal sex: 1 in 72
- Shared injection drug use: 1 in 159
- Insertive anal sex: 1 in 909
- Receptive penile-vaginal sex: 1 in 1,250
- Insertive penile-vaginal sex: 1 in 2,500
The more you engage in these activities, the more likely you are to contract the virus. “The simple truth is that people can and do get infected after a single exposure,” says Dr. Sifris. “Identifying your personal risk, therefore, allows you to take the steps needed to protect yourself and others.”
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.
Even if a small amount of virus does manage to survive for a short period of time, the odds that it will infect you are next to zero. For example, there have been no confirmed cases of HIV caused by a blood-tainted needle in a public place to date. Even in a healthcare setting, the risk of infection from a needlestick injury is only around 0.3 percent.
Can You Get HIV From Oral Sex?
While there is a possible risk of getting HIV from oral sex, the documented risk remains extremely low. The CDC says that the risk is hard to quantify, because a lot of people who have oral sex have anal or vaginal sex, too.
Still, there are certain factors that may increase the potential for infection. These include coexisting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and bleeding gums. Even then, it’s unlikely that a person will be infected by having oral sex. Using a condom or dental dam can further reduce the already low risk, as can taking medicine to prevent or treat HIV.
2- Top Questions About HIV Symptoms
What are the symptoms of HIV?
The symptoms of HIV can vary from person to person and can range from mild to severe. Some people may not have any symptoms for many years, while others may experience flu-like symptoms within a few weeks of infection. Common symptoms of HIV include fever, swollen lymph nodes, sore throat, rash, and muscle aches.
How Long Does It Take for HIV Symptoms to Appear?
An estimated 40 to 90 percent of newly infected people experience symptoms during the early (acute) stage of HIV infection. These generally develop within two to four weeks of exposure and resemble symptoms of the flu, such as fever, fatigue, sore throat, headache, and muscle and joint pain.
One of the more telling signs of acute infection is lymphadenopathy, the sometimes painful swelling of the lymph nodes, specifically on the neck, behind the ears, under the armpits, and in the upper groin. A maculopapular rash (characterized by small, pink-to-red bumps, mostly on the upper body) can also appear.
While flu-like symptoms can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks, lymphadenopathy can persist for months and even years and may improve only after the start of HIV treatment.
Do HIV Symptoms Differ in Women and Men?
The HIV symptoms in men and women don’t differ very much. Women, however, can experience symptoms in the genital tract, including bacterial vaginosis and candidiasis, a common fungal infection that can manifest as a vaginal yeast infection. (Oral thrush, a fungal infection, can appear in both women and men.)
Women with HIV also have an increased risk for recurrent and hard-to-treat pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), and can experience irregular periods, cramping, and unusual discharge.
In the later stages of HIV, women who also have HPV are more likely to have an increased risk of cervical cancer; gay and bisexual men with HPV are more likely to develop anal cancer.
But beyond these differences, the disease varies more by the individual than by sex. Other factors, like genetics, age, treatment history, and lifestyle habits such as smoking, diet, and exercise also play a role.
Top Questions About HIV Treatment
Can HIV be treated?
While there is currently no cure for HIV, there are several treatments available that can help manage the virus and prevent it from progressing to AIDS. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a combination of medications that can lower the amount of virus in the body, allowing the immune system to recover and stay healthy.
How Long Can I Wait Before Starting Treatment?
Ideally, you shouldn’t wait at all. In the past, doctors would delay treatment until a person’s CD4 count fell below 500 — largely because of concerns about the long-term effects of HIV treatment and the premature development of a drug-resistant virus — but that’s no longer the case.
“Today, things are different,” says Linda-Gail Bekker, PhD, a physician and infectious-disease specialist in South Africa and a past president of the International AIDS Society. “Newer-generation drugs have overcome many of these concerns. Moreover, if [treated] properly, a person with HIV can now expect to enjoy near-normal life expectancy.”
The focus, therefore, is no longer just on life extension; it’s on preserving quality of life. In 2015, landmark research funded by the National Institutes of Health and published in the New England Journal of Medicine confirmed that early HIV treatment (started at CD4 counts above 500) reduced the risk of serious illness by 53 percent compared with delayed treatment.
As a result of these findings, the Department of Health and Human Services now recommends that HIV treatment begin at the time of diagnosis, irrespective of age, race, income, or health status.
3- Top questions about HIV testing
How Common Are False Negatives and False Positives?
Thanks to the use of next-generation technologies, the accuracy of HIV testing in healthcare settings has never been greater. Still, false positives and false negatives have been known to occur, albeit infrequently.
Today, the false negative rate in the United States is only around 0.003 percent (or roughly three out of every 100,000 tests). False positive rates are even lower — between 0.0004 percent and 0.0007 percent — due in large part to the practice of confirming a positive result with a secondary test.
If a false negative does occur, it is often the result of premature testing during the so-called window period. This is the period of time following infection when the body has not yet produced enough protective proteins (called antibodies) to register an accurate result. If this happens, a person may believe that they haven’t been infected.
While newer, combination HIV tests have significantly reduced this window period, a person will still need to wait at least three to four weeks after being exposed to the virus to get a reliable result.
How Accurate Are In-Home HIV Tests?
Currently there is only one in-home HIV test available in the United States, OraQuick, promoted as a means to ensure privacy for those who might otherwise avoid getting tested. It is easy to use, requiring only a simple saliva swab, and can return a result in as little as 20 minutes.
Because antibody levels in saliva are lower than they are in blood, this test can fall short in its ability to detect early-stage (acute) infection. According to the CDC, OraQuick tests have a 7 percent false negative rate, meaning that roughly one out of every 12 tests will deliver an incorrect all-clear sign.
Can a Pap Smear Detect HIV?
A Pap smear is valuable for many things, but HIV detection isn’t one of them. The aim of a Pap smear is to identify cell changes that may indicate cervical cancer, not to check for the presence of HIV, which can be identified only with a blood- or saliva-based HIV test.
That said, Pap smears are especially important for women who have HIV; these women are at least five times more likely to develop invasive cervical cancer than women who don’t have HIV. The test can also be used to screen for anal cancer and the human papillomavirus (HPV).
4-Top Weird Questions About HIV
- Can you get HIV from using a public toilet? No, HIV cannot survive outside the human body for long and is not transmitted through casual contact or sharing facilities like toilets.
- Can you get HIV from a mosquito bite? No, HIV cannot be transmitted through mosquito bites. Mosquitoes do not inject blood into their host when they bite and therefore cannot transmit the virus.
- Can you get HIV from kissing? The risk of HIV transmission through kissing is extremely low, unless both partners have open sores or bleeding gums.
- Can you get HIV from sharing food or drinks? No, HIV cannot be transmitted through sharing food or drinks. It is transmitted through direct contact with bodily fluids such as blood, semen, vaginal fluids, and breast milk.
- Can you get HIV from oral sex? Although the risk is lower than with other types of sexual activity, HIV can be transmitted through oral sex if there are open sores or bleeding gums present.
- Can you get HIV from receiving a blood transfusion? In developed countries, blood transfusions are screened for HIV and other infections, making the risk of transmission extremely low. However, in some countries with limited resources, the risk may be higher.
- Can you get HIV from a tattoo or piercing? The risk of HIV transmission from a tattoo or piercing is very low if proper sterilization techniques are used. It is important to ensure that the facility is reputable and follows proper safety guidelines.
- Can you get HIV from a toilet seat? No, HIV cannot be transmitted through contact with a toilet seat. The virus cannot survive outside the human body for long and is not transmitted through casual contact
5- More Questions About HIV
How can HIV be prevented?
There are several ways to prevent HIV, including practicing safe sex by using condoms and limiting the number of sexual partners, avoiding sharing needles, and taking medication to prevent mother-to-child transmission during childbirth or breastfeeding. Getting tested for HIV regularly and knowing your partner’s HIV status can also help prevent the spread of the virus.
Is it possible to live with HIV
If you have been diagnosed with HIV, it’s important to seek medical care and start treatment as soon as possible. With the right treatment and care, individuals with HIV can lead long and healthy lives.
The following are some important steps to take if you have been diagnosed with HIV:
- Seek medical care: It’s important to find a healthcare provider who specializes in HIV treatment and care. Your provider can help you develop a treatment plan and monitor your health.
- Start treatment: Treatment for HIV typically involves a combination of medications called antiretroviral therapy (ART). These medications can help lower the amount of virus in your body and prevent it from progressing to AIDS.
- Take care of your health: Eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and getting enough rest can help keep your immune system strong. It’s also important to avoid smoking and limit your alcohol intake.
- Get support: Living with HIV can be challenging, and it’s important to have a support system in place. This can include family and friends, support groups, and mental health professionals.
Are HIV and AIDS the Same Thing?
No. HIV is a virus, while AIDS is a stage of advanced infection. Specifically, HIV, or the human immunodeficiency virus, is an infectious virus that gradually breaks down a person’s immune system, leaving the body less able to defend itself against viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites. These infections, which are called “opportunistic,” tend to be mild in the early stages and can become progressively worse as the immune system is depleted.
AIDS, or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, is the stage of the disease when the immune system is weakened by the loss of CD4 cells (also called T-helper or T-4 cells) — white blood cells that help fend off harmful pathogens in the body. Without these defenses, a person will be at high risk for serious illnesses that a healthy person would be able to fight off.
AIDS is diagnosed when a person has a CD4 count of less than 200 (meaning less than 200 cells per cubic millimeter of blood) or has at least one of 27 AIDS-defining conditions outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), such as recurrent pneumonia.
SUMMARY
HIV is a serious disease that can have a significant impact on a person’s health and well-being. By understanding the basics of HIV transmission, prevention, and treatment, individuals can take steps to protect themselves and others from the virus. It’s important to get tested regularly, practice safe sex, and seek medical attention if you think you may have been exposed to HIV. With the right treatment and care, individuals with HIV can lead long and healthy lives.
