What Are HIV and AIDS? HIV/AIDS – Symptoms and causes

Introduction to HIV

Do you know?

• AIDS is caused by HIV.
• HIV can spread among people of different ages, genders, races, and cultures or religions.

Currently, worldwide:

• There are 34 million people in the world who are living with HIV or AIDS. More than half of them are women and children.
• Sexual contact between men and women is the main route of HIV transmission.

In Australia

• About 24,000 people currently carry HIV or have HIV/AIDS.
• Most of them are contagious through unprotected sexual intercourse between men and men. At the same time, the rate of HIV transmission among men and women through unprotected sexual intercourse is also on the rise.

The current effective treatment still enables people living with HIV to live a long and healthy life.

Using condoms during vaginal and anal intercourse, sharing needles or other syringes with others is the most effective way to protect yourself from AIDS.

The difference between AIDS and HIV

People often confuse HIV and AIDS, but there is a difference between the two.

The full name of HIV (HIV) is “Human Immunodeficiency Virus”. When HIV enters the body’s blood circulation system, the title of “HIV-infected person” or “HIV-positive carrier” is generated.

HIV is a system that attacks the body’s immune system. If the body’s immune system is seriously damaged by the virus, it will develop into “AIDS” (AIDS). Its medical name is “acquired immunodeficiency syndrome”. This means that the human body cannot resist. Some common bacteria and viruses become more susceptible to viral infections and illnesses.

Being diagnosed with HIV in the blood does not mean that you have AIDS or are about to die. Effective treatment can reduce the degree of HIV infection of the immune system, so that many people living with HIV still live a healthy, fulfilling and satisfying life.

How is HIV spread?

HIV is present in human body fluids, such as blood, semen, vaginal secretions and breast milk. The spread of HIV can only be achieved by the body fluids of infected people entering the blood of another person’s body.

HIV is transmitted in the following ways:

• Sexual intercourse without using a condom;
• Share injection needles, syringes and other syringes to inject drugs
• Body piercing and tattooing with unsterilised instruments
• Mothers with HIV transmit the virus to their babies during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding.
• Transfusion or use of blood products in other countries (transfusion and blood products are safe in Australia)

The following contacts are not contagious to HIV:

• cough
• sneeze
• kiss
• Spitting
• Tears contact
• Shared tableware and cookware
• bed linings
• WC
• bathroom
• Mosquito bites, etc.

How can I avoid HIV/AIDS?

Prevention of sexual communication:

When you have unprotected sex with HIV-infected people, HIV can invade your blood circulatory system from tiny wounds on the vagina, penis, and anal mucosal surfaces.

The safe way to avoid HIV transmission is:

Every time you have an anal or vaginal sex, you must use a new condom and water-soluble lubricants, and also help prevent most sexually transmitted diseases.

How to use a condom?

	1. Unpack and be careful not to scratch the condom. ፣
	2. Use your index finger and thumb to squeeze out the air at the top of the condom, then put it along the penis into the bottom (if necessary, flip the foreskin first).
	3. After putting on the condom, apply a water-soluble lubricant to the outer layer.
	4. After sexual intercourse, hold the condom at the end of the root of the penis and carefully remove it to prevent semen from overflowing.
	5. Discard used condoms. Never use a used condom!

Injecting drugs, body piercing or tattooing:

HIV can be transmitted by sharing a needle/syringe or using an old body piercing/tattoo ware.

The way to avoid needle spread is:

Never share or use a needle that someone else has used, and inject drugs into the needle.

The way to avoid spreading the virus in body piercing/tattoo containers is: /h3>

To formal registration, use a disposable needle or a professional place that is strictly disinfected according to the standard for body piercing or tattooing. This will also protect you from hepatitis B and C infection.

Mother-to-child transmission:

HIV-positive mothers can transmit the virus to infants during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding. In Australia, HIV-positive women can still give birth to healthy babies through caesarean section medications during pregnancy. If you are HIV positive/infected woman, pregnant or planning to become pregnant, you should discuss this with your doctor as soon as possible.

Doctors strongly recommend that women who are HIV-infected do not breastfeed. You can talk to your doctor about other ways to feed your baby.

Blood and blood products:

In Australia, all blood and blood products are tested for HIV. People living with/infected with HIV cannot donate blood. However, blood transfusions are not safe in some countries overseas.

How can I know if I have HIV/AIDS?

With a blood test, you can get an answer quickly. There are different types of ways to check for HIV. Talk to your doctor about which method is best for you.

In Australia, all sex health clinics offer free HIV screening, so you don’t even have to give your doctor your real name or a medical card. You can also do this check with your family doctor.

In Australia, your privacy will be strictly protected and it is against the law for any medical professional to discuss your privacy with others.

How can I know if someone is living with HIV/AIDS?

Simply by appearance, you can’t know if someone else has AIDS. Many people living with HIV/AIDS look very healthy and don’t have any symptoms. In fact, many patients do not know that they are already HIV-infected. The only way to know is through a blood test for HIV.

Overseas travel and AIDS

HIV/AIDS is present all over the world, and no matter where you go, remember to use condoms and water-soluble lubricants when you have sex. Do not share needles or other syringes with others. If you have a body piercing and tattoo, be sure to use a strictly sterilized appliance.

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