So…What’s HIV anyways?

HIV is the Human Immunodeficiency Virus or HIV.  It attacks and severely weakens the human immune system, which makes the person vulnerable to all kinds of other infections and diseases.  In 2000, it was estimated that over 40 million people worldwide were carriers of the disease.  Kinda makes you want to be protected, doesn’t it?

However, HIV infection remains rare in Canadian Youth

Some rare people can carry HIV for years and never get sick.  However, the vast majority infected with HIV will eventually develop a disease called AIDS, or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome.

AIDS is the last stage of the HIV infection.  This stage of the disease can occur many years after being infected.  People with AIDS usually develop rare diseases or infections as well as cancer.

Even if HIV infection is rare among Canadian teens and even if the infection is more common among certain groups, HIV is not found only in drug users and homosexuals. The virus is transmitted by contact with blood, sperm, vaginal or anal secretions, or breast milk. This happens when you have oral, vaginal or anal sex, when you share infected needles or when you receive a transfusion with contaminated blood. A pregnant woman can transmit the virus to her baby during delivery or breast feeding.

It is important to know that all blood donations are now tested for HIV, so that the risk of contaminated blood is now extremely low.  It is impossible to get HIV by giving blood.

Anybody can be infected; this disease doesn’t have boundaries of gender, sexual orientation or lifestyle.  AIDS is almost always fatal.

However it is important to know that HIV cannot be transmitted by saliva, tears, water, air, food or everyday activities.

Symptoms, if any, will appear from one to 3 months after being infected.

How is HIV detected, treated and prevented?

From 1 to 3 months after being infected, you are contagious but usually without symptoms. In some, the HIV infection goes totally unnoticed.  People in that situation are usually called healthy carriers of the virus. About 30% to 60% of infected persons will develop symptoms soon after being infected, and these are of short duration.

Early symptoms to watch out for…

• Fever, can possibly last up to 1 month
• Increased size of the lymph nodes
• Fatigue, restlessness
• Muscle pain
• Joint pain
• Difficulty swallowing, pain when swallowing
• Skin rash similar to that of measles or hives
• Fungal infections on the mucous membranes (the mouth, vagina, etc.), often associated with white patches in the mouth called Thrush.

After, often many years after, AIDS can develop.

You can get tested for HIV in a STD clinic, by your physician or at specialized clinics that offer anonymous testing (your name doesn’t appear on the test).  You can find clinics to get tested by contacting your local public health agency or your CLSC (in Quebec).  It can take up to 3 months of infection before the HIV test shows positive.

Treatments are available but they do not kill the virus. They are mostly pills taken many times a day. Some people can live a long time with AIDS by taking these pills.Â

Following a contact with an infected person, in the first 24-72 hours, it is possible to take a treatment (pills) that could prevent the virus from infecting you. Ask your local public health agency or your CLSC (in Quebec).

There is not yet a vaccine against HIV, but research is going on.

The best way to be protected against HIV is still the use condoms…they works!

The transmission of HIV amongst drug users is frequent, mostly because of sharing contaminated needles.  It is important for intravenous drug users not to share needles or other infected material.

What are the possible complications?

AIDS opens up a Pandora’s box of infections, diseases and other problems, such as:

• Diseases of the nervous system
• Problems of the digestive system leading to weight loss.
• Anemia (your body doesn’t have enough iron, which makes you tired and weak)
• Infections in the mouth
• Heart problems
• Tuberculosis
• Cancer
• Kidney failure

Many more complications are possible, worst of which is undoubtedly death.Â

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Website developped and offered by the Canadian Association for Adolescent Health
Last modification: 2006-02-01