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Five myths about HIV/Aids

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HIV/Aids is not a new condition yet many myths remain as to what it is. These are the five most common ones:

You can tell when someone is HIV+
FALSE: An HIV positive person may have no symptoms and may feel perfectly well. The only way to know for certain is to take an HIV test. Even though testing for HIV too soon after exposure to the virus may fall into the “window period” when HIV cannot be detected, different types of tests have varying window periods. A healthcare worker will be able to advise on when to receive HIV testing.

Being diagnosed HIV+ means you will soon get sick and die
FALSE: With the constant refinement of anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment, people are able to manage their viral load and live with HIV for many years. In the early days of HIV diagnosis was seen as a death sentence, but with advances in science and research many are living much longer with the disease as long as they follow a healthy lifestyle, take the appropriate medication and receive adequate medical attention.

An HIV diagnosis does not mean immediate treatment, as this will vary person-to-person, though generally treatment begins when the CD4 count drops below 500 cells/mm3.

If you’re both HIV+ you don’t need a condom
FALSE: There are many different strains of HIV with which you can infect each other, as well as other sexually transmitted diseases. HIV is an extremely changeable virus and can readily mutate, which means there can be many different strains of HIV within one infected person.

There are two types of HIV: HIV-1 and HIV-2. Both these can be transmitted through sexual contact. The predominant virus worldwide appears to be HIV-1.

In Australia, HIV is most commonly spread by sexual intercourse without a condom and through sharing of needles, syringes and other injecting equipment.

You can’t have a baby if you’re HIV+
FALSE: In a well-managed pregnancy and birth, an HIV+ mother can give birth to a baby who is HIV-. Mother-to-child transmission can occur, which is when an HIV-positive mother passes the virus to her child during pregnancy, labour, delivery or breastfeeding. But if the mother is aware of her HIV+ status and adheres to her regimen of ARVs, the risk of her baby contracting HIV can be reduced to less than 5%.

In some cases the risk of transmitting HIV to your unborn child can be as low as 1%-2% if:

• Your viral load is low or undetectable.
• Your CD4 count is high.
• You use antiretrovirals during pregnancy and delivery.
• You have access to good obstetric care.
• You have a caesarean birth.
• You do not breastfeed.
• Your baby is given antiretrovirals for four weeks after delivery.

HIV infection can be cured
FALSE: Despite the many medical advances in research around HIV and Aids, once you are infected, there is currently no known cure. ARV treatment can, however, suppress HIV and delay the onset of Aids for many years, but it cannot delay it indefinitely. There is, however, much ongoing research into vaccines and other treatments which may one day herald a successful breakthrough.
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