Know The Fact About HIV/AIDS - FAQ

HIV IS AN ISSUE FOR EVERYONE
Introduction
HIV/AIDS does not discriminate caste, creed, race and religion, educational or social status. Prevention of HIV/AIDS is our joint responsibility. Education and awareness is the only weapon in our hand. Let us accept the challenge to fight against HIV/AIDS. We must support and care for the people with HIV / AIDS with compassion and understanding.
AIDS is not like smallpox or polio. We may not be able to eliminate it
simply with a one-time vaccination or course of shots for children, since
new strains of HIV are constantly evolving. And, unlike other communicable
diseases we have encountered most often in the past, HIV is transmitted
through the most intimate and private human relationships, through sexual
violence and commercial sex and because of women’s poverty and
inequality. ...We must summon the courage to talk frankly and
constructively about sexuality. We must recognize the pressures on our
children to have sex that is neither safe nor loving and provide them with
information, communication skills and, yes, condoms.
Pascoal Mocumbi, Prime Minister of Mozambique

Global trends
The HIV epidemic has evolved in different ways in different parts of the world, and at varying speeds. In many regions it is still in its early stages. At the end of 2004, the total number of people living with HIV/AIDS was estimated to be just under 40 million: about half of them are women, but women are now being infected at a faster rate than men, and at a younger average age. HIV/AIDS caused the deaths of 3.1 million people during 2004 and, despite widespread prevention measures, 4.9 million people were infected.
The deadly human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) produces Acquired Immune
Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) a combination of infections and diseases caused by a general breakdown of the immune system. It was unknown about 15 years ago and the first case in Nigeria was reported in 1986. Now it has infected millions worldwide. In Nigeria HIV is spreading rapidly. It is especially alarming in a country with a population of 130 million and having many other major illnesses, deficient nutritional states, poverty, polluted water and air as well as weak health care delivery system. Nigeria has remarkable potential for the transmission of HIV. AIDS in Nigeria is characterized by the grim fact that all the patterns of HIV transmission are present here.
HIV/AIDS is the most important pathogen of this century and has defied all odds to a level that it threatens human existence. Available statistics has shown that as at end of the year 2002, over 40 million people worldwide were infected with the HIV virus with about 90% of them living in the sub-Sahara Africa. In Nigeria, HIV/AIDS has reached an epidemic level, despite efforts to contain it. This is evident from the results of the various sentinel sero-prevalence studies carried out in the country between 1991 and 2001. HIV prevalence rates have continued to rise, from 1.8% in 1991; to 3.8% in 1993 to 4.3% in 1995 and 5.4% in 1999. The August 2001 study gave a prevalence studies carried out in the country ranks second within the Sub Sahara Africa for the number of HIV infected adults. With an estimated population of 130 million, the number of HIV infected persons in the country has risen from 2,160,000 in 1991 to about 6,960,000 in 2001 and unless adequate national and regional responses are mounted, these figures will continue to rise. Over 80% of infections in Nigeria are believed to be from through sexual transmission while other modes are
through blood transfusion and mother to child transmission as well as  unsterilised needles and other skin piercing instruments

Section One
Talking about HIV/AIDS
Talking about HIV, AIDS and Sex can be difficult for both young people and adults. This information might help you feel more confident about this.

What do AIDS stand for?
AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. It is caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus or HIV. This virus enters the cells of the body’s immune system, and over years, gradually weakens the person. Finally, the infected person becomes incapable of fighting both common infections like those that cause diarrhoea and serious diseases like cancer. AIDS is incurable and fatal.

What is the difference between AIDS and HIV?
HIV is the virus that causes the disease AIDS, AIDS is a group of illnesses acquired when the immune system is unable to defend against infection. AIDS is the terminal stage of infection by the HIV virus. In the early stages of HIV infection, infected persons look and feel totally well. Only when their immune system becomes weaken do they feel ill. The time between infection with HIV and becoming ill with AIDS may take 2 to 10 years or even longer.

How does HIV infection spread?
HIV the AIDS virus can spread from one infected person to someone else only
through:-
Sexual contact with an infected person involving the exchange of semen,
blood or vaginal fluids.
Transfusion of contaminated blood, and blood products.
Transmission from infected mothers to their children before or during birth
and during breast-feeding.
Unsterilised injecting equipment and sharing of needles and syringes,
especially among injecting drug users.

Can you get the AIDS virus through kissing?
While dry kissing in which there is no exchange of saliva is safe, there is some risk of HIV infection being transmitted through deep kissing and contact with cuts and sores in the mouth.
HIV is not spread through coughing, sneezing, sharing of eating or drinking
utensils, shaking hands, or being near an infected person. HIV is not spread
through everyday activities, such as working in an office, eating in a cafeteria, or
using public toilet facilities. Unlike colds or the flu, HIV is not spread through the air.

How can someone become infected through sexual intercourse?
HIV is found in the sexual fluids of an infected person. For a male this means in the fluids which come out of the penis before and during sex. For a female, it means HIV is in the fluids produced in the vagina before and during sex to help make intercourse easier.
If a male with HIV has vaginal intercourse without a condom, infected fluid
can pass into the female’s blood stream through a tiny cut or sore inside her
body. This can be so small that you don’t know about it.
If a couple have anal intercourse the risk of infections is greater than with
vaginal intercourse. The lining of the anus, or back passage, is more delicate
than the lining of the vagina and is more likely to be damaged during sex.
If a female with HIV has sexual intercourse without a condom, HIV could get
into the male’s blood through a sore patch on his penis or by getting into the
tube which runs down the penis.
If there is any contact with blood during sex, this increases the risk of
infection, For example, there may be blood in the vagina if intercourse
happens during a female’s period. There can also be bleeding during anal
intercourse.

How does HIV affect me?
AIDS - the Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome - is the late stage of infection
caused by a virus, the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). A person who is infected with HIV can look and feel healthy for up to ten years or more before signs of AIDS appear. But HIV steadily weakens the body's defense
(immune) system until it can no longer fight off infections such as pneumonia,
diarrhoea, tumours and other illnesses. All of which can be part of AIDS. Unable to fight back, most people die within three years of the first signs of AIDS appearing. You probably know most of these basic facts about HIV and AIDS. But you may not be aware of some others that could be important to you.

How can one contract HIV?
AIDS is mainly a sexually transmitted disease. Most of all HIV infections have been transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse with someone who is already infected with HIV. HIV can also be transmitted by infected blood or blood products (as in blood transfusions), by the sharing of contaminated needles, and from an infected woman to her baby before birth, during delivery, or through breast- feeding.

HIV is not transmitted through normal, day-to-day contact.
Can I get AIDS from "casual contact" with an infected person?
No.
This means that it is OK to play sports and work together, shake hands, hug friends or kiss them on the cheek or hands, sleep in the same room, breathe the same air, share drinking and eating utensils and towels, use the same showers or toilets, use the same washing water and swim in the same swimming pool. You cannot get infected through spitting, sneezing, coughing or through tears or sweat, or through bites from mosquitoes or other insects.

How can I recognize if someone is infected with HIV?
There is no way of knowing whether someone is infected just by looking at them. A man or woman you meet at work, school, or a sports stadium; in a bar or on the street might be carrying HIV - but look completely healthy. But during this time of apparent health, he or she can infect someone else.

Can sexually active persons really protect themselves against HIV?
Definitely.
Though sexually active people who have multiple partners are at great risk, they can protect themselves by always using condoms during sexual intercourse. Condoms reduce the risk of contracting HIV. Also remember: you cannot tell if a person is infected by simple looking at them, so it is in your interest to be extra careful.

Can oral sex cause AIDS?
Oral sex (mouth or tongue touching genitals) may carry a risk of HIV infection
especially if there are cuts or sores present in the mouth or on the genitals. For
protection, men should wear a condom over the penis to make oral sex safer.
Sometimes sores in the mouth and on genitals are not visible if one of the partners is infected, oral sex can be highly risky.

How can you tell if someone is infected by HIV?
There is no visible sign of HIV infection. You can only tell if a person is infected by testing a blood sample for HIV antibodies. It is impossible to know if a person is infected by HIV just by looking at him or her. In fact people with HIV infection can look and feel healthy for a long time.

However an infected person can pass the virus to others through unprotected sexual intercourse, by donating blood or by sharing needles.

Is it possible to have HIV infection and not be ill?
Yes.
In fact, most people infected with HIV will look and feel normal for a long time
(between 2 and 10 years). As the disease progresses, it rapidly destroys the body’s immune system, leaving the person defenceless against a host of diseases, eventually leading to death.

Section Two
How to Preventing HIV transmission
HIV is a fragile virus. It can only survive in certain conditions. It enters the body
through naturally moist places and cannot penetrate unbroken skin. Prevention
therefore involves ensuring that there is a barrier to the virus - e.g. a condom (male or female), protective equipment (especially gloves) - and that skin piercing equipment such as syringes and surgical appliances are not contaminated.

How can I avoid getting infected with the AIDS virus?
Avoiding the AIDS virus means learning to take a few basic precautions:
Stay with one uninfected mutually faithful sexual partner.
Always use condoms during sex if you are not sure of your partner‘s sexual
history
Insist on disposable needles and syringes
Insist on HIV free blood

How can you protect yourself and your partner?
If you and your partner decide to have sexual intercourse you need to PROTECT
AGAINST HIV. Using a condom is the ONLY way to reduce the risk of infection. The contraceptive pill is very good at preventing pregnancy but it offers no protection against HIV. Also, knowing someone well isn’t going to protect you against HIV if your partner is infected. And you might think you know someone well enough after meeting them a few times. But you cannot tell if someone is free from infection just by looking at them – it doesn’t matter how nice they are!
It can be difficult to say that you want to use a condom. You might be worried that it suggests that you don’t trust your partner or:
Think they could be infected
Think they are bisexual
Think they have used drugs
Think they have slept around
But, CONDOMS are there to keep you both safe. If you feel safe, you can both relax and enjoy sex all the more.

Information for Businesses, Employers and Employees
Guidelines for employers and workers HIV and the workplace Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the World of Work:
Workplace information and education programmes (...) can significantly reduce HIV- related anxiety and stigmatization, minimize disruption in the workplace, and bring about attitudinal and behavioural change.
Key Points
• There is no cure for AIDS, or vaccine for HIV - the only way to stop the spread of infection is through prevention.
• The workplace is an ideal setting for prevention strategies. All workplaces include people at risk. Some workplaces or occupations operate in an environment that accentuates the risk of infection.
• It is vital to: - constantly reinforce the simple facts about HIV infection, how it is spread and not spread, and how to prevent it; - contradict the persisting myths about HIV and AIDS, and combat superstitions and taboos related to sex;
- help people apply prevention messages to their own situation.
• Education for prevention needs to start with information, go on to discussion,
include personal risk assessment, promote behaviour change, and support it through practical means such as condom availability.
• Information and education should be provided in a variety of forms, not relying exclusively on the written word and including distance learning where necessary. Programmes should be tailored to the needs, context and characteristics of the workforce.
International Labour organisation (ILO)
• Peer education has been found to be particularly effective, as has the involvement of people living with HIV/AIDS in the design and implementation of programmes.
• Support may be available locally from experienced organizations and trainers:
employers can help by providing a space and - more important - time so that workers can follow at least part of their training in working time.
Care, Support and Treatment Solidarity, care and support should guide … occupational schemes.
Key Points
• The right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health is
recognized by the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and other various other international instruments.
• Access to care and treatment also contributes to the prevention of HIV infection. Care provision encourages confidential voluntary counselling and testing (VCT). It offers an opportunity to discuss with the infected person how she or he might prevent the risk of further transmission.
• By caring openly and compassionately for persons infected with HIV, caregivers alleviate the community's fear of HIV infection and reduce stigma and discrimination.
• There are social and economic benefits of care and support for people living
with HIV/AIDS. When people are helped to stay at work and live longer, then
sickness, suffering, impacts on production and loss of income are postponed.
• Comprehensive care and support should meet the needs of workers with
HIV/AIDS for treatment, for material and psychosocial support, and for protection against discrimination and rejection. It should ideally include:
- health care services and appropriate treatment of HIV and related infections;
- confidential voluntary testing and counselling (VCT), as an important starting     point for both prevention and care;
- an open, accepting and supportive environment for workers who disclose their 
   HIV status, and legal provisions against discrimination;
- psychosocial support and counselling of individuals tested HIV-positive, and    their families;
- reasonable accommodation - making changes to tasks, the workplace or working conditions (including hours and breaks) so that workers with HIV can continue in their jobs;
- family planning services;
- healthy living programmes, including information at least and nutritional
supplements where possible;
- financial support, training or employment opportunities for persons who lose
employment because of HIV status, and for family members;
- social protection, including access to benefits provided by the State and/or the
employer;
- information and training for home-based caregivers;
- care and support for family members after the death of the primary breadwinner.
Workplace programme of prevention and care are unlikely to be successful if
the workplace hasn't established an atmosphere of trust and 'zero tolerance' for
discrimination.

HIV/AIDS AND HUMAN RIGHTS
Human rights
The ILO Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the world of work sets out ten key
principles that protect rights and guide the workplace response: they include nondiscrimination, confidentiality, gender equality, a safe and healthy work environment, continuation of employment, and the right not to undergo compulsory HIV testing.

International Labour Organisation (ILO)
Key Points
• The ILO and its partners in UNAIDS take a rights-based approach to HIV/AIDS.
• Human rights are entitlements which come to all individuals because they are
human. National and international instruments - conventions, treaties, codes and laws - do not create rights, but recognize and protect them.
• The best way to respond to the human rights implications of HIV/AIDS is to
develop policies at national and enterprise levels that set out the rights of workers who are infected and/or affected by HIV/AIDS.
• Education is essential to help co-workers understand the rights and the needs of those affected.
• Non-discrimination is a fundamental human right, and it also reinforces
prevention in very practical ways. If people fear the possibility of discrimination,
they will probably conceal the fact that they are HIV-positive. They will not be
able to get any treatment. It is possible that they will pass on the infection to
others.
• All successful prevention initiatives have been part of a wider approach that has included establishing an atmosphere of openness and trust and taking a firm stand against discrimination.
The ILO Discrimination (Employment and Occupation) Convention, 1958 (No.111) may be used in cases of discrimination related to HIV status; other relevant instruments for the protection of rights include the Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 1981 (No.155), Termination of Employment Convention, 1982 (No.158),
Social Security (Minimum Standards) Convention, 1952 (No.102), Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No.81).

Information for Organisations working in areas of HIV/AIDS
HIV/AIDS and Gender
Principle 3 of the ILO Code of Practice on HIV/AIDS and the world of work:
The gender dimensions of HIV/AIDS should be recognized. Women are more likely to become infected and are more often adversely affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic than men due to biological, socio-cultural and economic reasons. The greater the gender discrimination in societies and the lower the position of women, the more negatively they are affected by HIV. Therefore, more equal gender relations and the empowerment of women are vital to successfully prevent the spread of HIV infection and enable women to cope with HIV/AIDS.
Key Points

• There is a difference between "sex" and "gender": sex refers to the universalbiological differences between men and women, gender refers to male and female social roles and behaviour. These are not universal or 'natural' but are learnt or acquired. They vary from one society to another and may change over time. Gender issues are not the same as "women's issues", though they may include them. Understanding how gender issues affect the spread of HIV/AIDS is equally important for men and for women.
• Women bear the brunt of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Half of those infected are women, but they make up 60 per cent of new infections - and an even higher proportion of younger women (15 - 24). They also take a greater share of the burden of care - this often includes girls being taken out of school to look after sick relatives, or contribute to family income.

• HIV infection is rooted in poverty, ignorance and women's lack of autonomy.

• Poverty creates the conditions that favour HIV transmission and worsen its impact: individuals who are poor also have less access to prevention messages and education; may be under-nourished and in poor health so more susceptible to infection; have limited assets, savings or social protection to draw on in the event of sickness; may resort to commercial or transactional sex in order to survive; lack the power to defend their rights. The effects of HIV/AIDS can lead to an intensification of existing poverty and push some non-poor into poverty.
• Women are over-represented among the poor, and face particular risks and needs. These result from a range of factors that include their social roles, their lower legal status, their more limited access to education and waged work, and their lack of rights to credit, property and other assets. Women everywhere experience discrimination in the labour market, are paid less than men, and more frequently perform work with no security or benefits. The combination of inferior status and economic dependence on men makes it impossible for many women to protect themselves from unsafe sex; poverty also drives women to risky behaviours for survival. The fact that women take a greater share of the burden of care undermines their income-raising opportunities and job security.
• More equal gender relations and the empowerment of women are vital to preventing the spread of HIV infection and helping people manage its impact (see ILO Code of Practice). Incorporating a gender dimension in all workplace activities is essential, addressing women's social and economic position as well as the factors that shape the behaviour of both men and women (see Consensus Statement).
• Our views about men and women, about the roles that each play in the family, in society and at work, is strongly held views. Our feelings about sexual behaviour also run deep, and many think that this should remain a private and personal matter. But if we do not talk about gender and sex, we are left without defences. Globally, between 70 and 80 per cent of all HIV transmission is through sexual contact.

HIV IS AN ISSUE FOR EVERYONE

Internet Resources:
NCHSTP: http://www.cdc.gov/nchstp/od/nchstp.html
DHAP: http://www.cdc.gov/hiv
GAP: http://www.cdc.gov/nchstp/od/gap/
UNAIDS Web Site www.unaids.com
UNFPA
World Health Organisation (WHO) www.worldhealthorganisation.org
AIDS Education & Research Trust www.avert.org
Aids alliance www.aidsalliance.org
Aids-India organisation www.aids-india.org
General Hospital Lagos www.ghlagos.org
www.aidsmap.com
www.ilo.org
www.AF-AIDS forum
PIN: http://www.cdcnpin.org

Glossary
AIDS -- acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a disease caused by a virus that weakens the immune system. This allows other diseases to attack the body.
Anal sex -- sexual intercourse in which the penis is put into the anus (rectum) of the sex partner.
AZT -- a medicine to slow the growth of HIV.
Bedsores -- sores on the skin caused by lying in bed too long.
Booster -- an extra dose of a vaccine to bring immunity back to full strength and stop illnesses.
Catheter (urinary) -- a tube put in the bladder to drain urine.
Chickenpox -- a very contagious viral disease, very common in children, that causes sores (called pox) on the skin.
CMV -- a virus, cytomegalovirus, that causes flu-like illness and, in severe cases,
swollen glands, pneumonia, eye infections (retinitis), and birth defects.
Condom -- a thin protective sheath that fits over the penis during vaginal, anal, or oral sex to prevent sexually transmitted disease or pregnancy. There are also female condoms that fit inside the vagina.
Dementia -- severe mental problems caused by disease affecting the brain, "losing one's mind."
Diarrhoea -- excessive or loose, watery bowel movements, "the runs."
Eczema -- a skin condition with itching, sores, redness, and scaling of the skin.
Epidemic -- an outbreak of disease.
Faeces -- waste from the bowels, excrement, bowel movements, "crap."
Genitals -- the sex organs: penis and testicles, vagina and uterus.
Haemophilia -- a hereditary disorder in which the blood does not clot normally, so that cuts or sores bleed for longer than normal.
Hepatitis B -- an infectious viral disease that inflames the liver.
HIV -- human immunodeficiency virus, the virus that causes AIDS.
Hospice -- services provided for dying people.
Immune system -- the parts of the body that fight germs.
Immunizations -- shots or other medical treatments that protect a person from getting a particular infectious illness.
Impetigo -- a bacterial, infectious disease in which the skin erupts with sores filled with pus.
Infection -- germs (bacteria, viruses, or parasites) present in the body. Infection may or may not result in illness.
Infectious disease -- a disease caused by a germ (bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasites).
Jaundice -- a condition sometimes caused by an infection (hepatitis) that causes the eyes, skin, and urine to turn unusually yellow; can result from damage to the liver.
Latex -- a type of rubber used to make condoms, medical gloves, and other very thin, flexible materials.
Measles -- a very contagious viral disease, usually in children, causes red spots on the skin and high fevers. Also called rubella. All children should receive measles vaccine.
Mumps -- a very contagious viral disease, common in children, causes swelling of the salivary glands. All children should receive mumps vaccine.
Nasal fluid -- mucus that comes out of the nose, "snot."
Oral sex -- sexual intercourse in which the mouth of one person touches the genitals or anus of another person.
Parasite -- a plant or animal that lives on or in another plant or animal, usually
hurting its "host."
Pneumonia -- an infection of the lungs often producing cough, fever, and difficulty breathing.
Polio -- a viral disease (poliomyelitis) that causes inflammation of the spinal cord, often causing paralysis.
Rubella -- a viral disease that causes birth defects in babies of women who are
infected early in pregnancy. Also called German measles. All children should receive rubella vaccine.
Saliva -- spit, the fluid in the mouth.
Semen -- greyish-yellowish fluid that contains sperm and comes out of the penis at orgasm, "cum."
Shingles -- a viral infection (herpes zoster) that causes painful sores on the skin.
Side effects -- things, usually bad, that medicines do to some people in addition to what the medicines are intended to do; for example, a drug could make you dizzy, make your joints ache, or make you feel like throwing up.
TB -- a disease (tuberculosis) that usually affects the lungs; formerly called
consumption.
Toxoplasmosis -- an infection that can damage the eyes and central nervous system, as well as some internal organs.
Transfusion -- a transfer of blood or blood products into the body from one or more other people.
Urinal -- a container or jar for urine, especially for use by people who cannot get out of bed.
Urine -- the liquid waste product of the body excreted by the kidneys, "piss," "pee."
Vaccine -- an injection (shot) of dead or weakened germs intended to cause the
immune system to make antibodies to a particular germ.
Vaginal sex -- sexual intercourse in which the penis is put into the vagina.
Vaginal fluids -- the secretions (wetness) produced inside the vagina. During sexual arousal these secretions usually increase to lubricate the vagina for sexual intercourse.
Vomit -- matter from the stomach ejected through the mouth, "throw up," "spit-up."
HIV IS AN ISSUE FOR EVERYONE
HIV/AIDS TIMES TO FACE FACTS
KNOW THE FACTS HIV HASN’T GONE AWAY
THERE IS CURRENTLY NO VACCINE
TO PREVENT HIV AND AIDS AND THERE IS NO CURE
IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO TAKE ACTION
For more information
GO TO www.worldAIDSday.org
www.worldhealthorganisation.org
CENTRE FOR SOCIAL AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
(CSHD)
35 OLOWU STREET,
IKEJA LAGOS NIGERIA
[email protected]
© 2005 cshd