HIV & AIDS:

How HIV Is Transmitted | How HIV Is Not Transmitted | Signs of HIV Infection |
Fact Sheet | Hotline Numbers & Resources

Have you been tested for HIV? Have you been educated about HIV?

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) do not discriminate against race, ethnicity, gender, age, or sexual orientation, etc.

HIV is a virus that enters your bloodstream and begins fighting your immune system. HIV eventually leads to AIDS and your immune system loses its ability to fight infections and other diseases. If you have HIV you are infected for the rest of your life. HIV and AIDS are life-altering and life-threatening diseases.

Are you taking all of the preventive measures you can to avoid contracting or transmitting HIV? Do you practice safe sex? Do you avoid using or sharing syringes or needles for intravenous drug use, tattooing, and piercing? Have you put yourself in high risk situations that may cause STDs including HIV?

By educating yourself you are taking control of your future. Continue to empower yourself with knowledge of HIV and AIDS by reading on. If you or someone you know is HIV positive, there are many resources to help you. Stop by the Women's Center, Health Services, or the Counseling Center for more information.

 

****REMINDER**
 Condoms are on sale at the Women's Center for 10 cents, in addition to dental dams for 25 cents. You can receive STI and HIV tests at Ramapo's Health Services by the nurse practitioner.

*Information provided by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), New Jersey Women and AIDS Network (NJWAN), and The National Association of People with AIDS.

How is HIV Transmitted?

HIV is transmitted when the virus enters the bloodstream. The virus is carried in blood, semen, vaginal secretions, and breast milk. HIV can enter the bloodstream through cuts or sores in the skin or the moist lining of the vagina, penis, rectum, and mouth. Some of these cuts or sores are so small they are painless and invisible to the human eye. These cuts and sores allow HIV to enter your bloodstream.

 HIV IS TRANSMITTED BY:

• Having unprotected sex--vaginal, anal, or oral--with an infected person. Unprotected sex is sexual intercourse without consistent and correct condom use.
• Sharing or being stuck with needles or syringes that have been used by an infected person.
• Giving birth: women with HIV infection can pass the virus to their babies during pregnancy or childbirth. They can also transmit the virus when breast-feeding.
• Receiving blood: some people have been infected by receiving blood transfusions. However, the risk of infection through blood transfusions has been practically eliminated since 1985 when careful and widespread screening and testing of the blood supply for evidence of HIV became a standard practice.

TO PREVENT HIV:

• Don't allow someone else's blood, semen, pre-ejaculate fluid, or vaginal fluids to contact or enter your vagina, penis, anus, or mouth.
• Don't allow your blood, semen, pre-ejaculate fluid, or vaginal fluids to contact or enter someone else's vagina, anus, penis, or mouth.
• Know your partner's sexual history. Symptoms for HIV do not appear for years. An infected person can appear healthy and not even know they are infected.
• Get HIV tested every six months if you and your partner are not monogamous, and/or you have had numerous sexual partners, and/or you do not know your past and current sexual partner's sexual history.
• Don't share I.V. needles including syringes used for drugs, tattooing, and piercing. If you do, use bleach to clean your syringes. Rinse them with water after you use the bleach and let it dry completely.

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How HIV is NOT transmitted

You CANNOT get HIV from an infected person by any casual contact such as playing sports, working together, shaking hands, hugging, closed-mouth kissing, breathing the same air, sharing drinking glasses, eating utensils and towels, using the same wash water or toilet, swimming in the same pool, or coming in contact with their sneezes, coughs, tears, or sweat. You also do not get HIV from bug bites or by donating blood.

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SIGNS OF HIV INFECTION

IN WOMEN:
Always remember that a majority of STDs including HIV do not show any symptoms for years. Anyone can become infected and have no idea because there are no apparent symptoms. Therefore, it is crucial to get tested.

These following symptoms may be caused by STDs other than HIV. It is important that you get STD tested to find out if you are infected so you can receive the proper treatment.

• Infections (such as yeast infections) in your vagina that won't go away even after you take medicine for it.
• Pain in your belly when you don't have your period.
• Fluid coming from your vagina. This fluid may be thick or thin, white or green in color, and smell.
• Open sores or bumps on your genitals (in or outside your vagina or anus)
• Pain when you have sex.
• An abnormal Pap smear. A Pap smear is an easy, painless test that can be done in the doctor's office or in a family planning clinic. Your doctor will notify you if there is something abnormal.
• Cancer of the sexual organs. You can usually find out about this by getting a Pap smear.

*For more information about gynecological exams see our GYN page.

 SOME SIGNS BOTH MEN AN WOMEN GET:

• Swollen glands in the neck, armpit or groin that last for many weeks.
• Fevers that don't come from the flu or a cold.
• Losing weight without trying to.
• Sweating very heavily when you sleep.
• White, patchy coating on your tongue and in your mouth.
• Being very tired all the time for no reason.
• Diarrhea that lasts for many days.
• Forgetting things that you used to remember easily.

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HIV/AIDS Fact Sheet

From the National Association of People with AIDS

• As of 9/97, 71% of females reported with HIV infection in New Jersey were exposed through heterosexual contact.
• Women who developed AIDS by the age of 30 were most likely infected while in their teens or early twenties.
• About 25% of all people living with HIV became infected when they were teenagers.
• Every hour two Americans under the age of 20 become infected with HIV.
• Of the reported AIDS cases in 1997 among 13-19 year olds, 49% were female; in the 20-24 year old age group, 38% were female; and in the 25 and older group, 21% were female.
• 91% of all children with AIDS and 86% of all HIV positive children were born to HIV positive mothers. These numbers refer only to reported cases.
• African-American women and Latinas over the age of 13 comprise 80% of reported AIDS cases among women in the United States.
• AIDS is now the third leading cause of death in American women aged 25-44.
• Of the total cases of HIV infection among women, African-American women accounted for 68%.
• Women are the fastest growing group of people with HIV/AIDS.

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Hotline Numbers

National Numbers

• National AIDS Hotline: 1-800-342-AIDS(2437) Available 24 hours
• National AIDS Clearinghouse: 1-800-458-5231
• National Black Women's Health Project: 1-800-ASK-BWHP
• National Latina Health Organization: 1-510-534-1362
• Sister Connect: 1-800-747-1108
• Gay Men's Health Crisis: 1-212-807-6655

New Jersey Numbers

• New Jersey AIDS Hotline: 1-800-624-2377
• New Jersey Women and AIDS Network: 1-908-846-4462

Bergen County Numbers

• New Jersey Buddies: 1-201-489-2900, (800) 508-7577

Bergen County HIV/AIDS Consortium-AIDS Resource Center: 201-461-2700.