Myths About HIV

Posted by Pozziepinoy on 9:04 AM
I have received a lot of emails concerning the ways of HIV transmission. Half of the questions that were raised are what we considered as myths about HIV so I would like to write here in general, the top 20 myths about HIV:
Myth No. 1: I can get HIV by being around people who are HIV-positive.
The evidence shows that HIV is not spread through touch, tears, sweat, or saliva. You cannot catch HIV by:
  • Breathing the same air as someone who is HIV-positive
  • Touching a toilet seat or doorknob handle after an HIV-positive person
  • Drinking from a water fountain
  • Hugging, kissing, or shaking hands with someone who is HIV-positive
  • Sharing eating utensils with an HIV-positive person
  • Using exercise equipment at a gym
You can get it from infected blood, semen, vaginal fluid, or mother's milk.

Myth No. 2: I don't need to worry about becoming HIV positive -- new drugs will keep me well.
Yes, antiretroviral drugs are improving and extending the lives of many people who are HIV-positive. However, many of these drugs are expensive and produce serious side effects. None yet provides a cure. Also, drug-resistant strains of HIV make treatment an increasing challenge.
Myth No. 3: I can get HIV from mosquitoes.
Because HIV is spread through blood, people have worried that biting or bloodsucking insects might spread HIV. Several studies, however, show no evidence to support this -- even in areas with lots of mosquitoes and cases of HIV. When insects bite, they do not inject the blood of the person or animal they have last bitten. Also, HIV lives for only a short time inside an insect.
Myth No. 4: I'm HIV-positive -- my life is over.
In the early years of the disease epidemic, the death rate from AIDS was extremely high. But today, antiretroviral drugs allow HIV-positive people -- and even those with AIDS -- to live much longer, normal, and productive lives.
Myth No. 5: AIDS is genocide.
In one study, as many as 30% of African-Americans and Latinos expressed the view that HIV was a government conspiracy to kill minorities. Instead, higher rates of infection in these populations may be due, in part, to a lower level of health care.
Myth No. 6: I'm straight and don't use IV drugs -- I won't become HIV-positive.
Most men do become HIV-positive through sexual contact with other men or through injection drug use. However, about 16% of men and 78% of women become HIV-positive through heterosexual contact.
Myth No. 7: If I'm receiving treatment, I can't spread the HIV virus.
When HIV treatments work well, they can reduce the amount of virus in your blood to a level so low that it doesn't show up in blood tests. Research shows, however, that the virus is still "hiding" in other areas of the body. It is still essential to practice safe sex so you won't make someone else become HIV-positive.
Myth No. 8: My partner and I are both HIV positive -- there's no reason for us to practice safer sex.
Practicing safer sex -- wearing condoms or using dental dams -- can protect you both from becoming exposed to other (potentially drug resistant) strains of HIV.
Myth No. 9: I could tell if my partner was HIV-positive.
You can be HIV-positive and not have any symptoms for years. The only way for you or your partner to know if you're HIV-positive is to get tested.
Myth No. 10: Homosexual men and drug users are more likely to get infected with HIV than other people.
In Singapore, 90% of all HIV infections occur through sexual intercourse. Out of these, 60% result from heterosexual intercourse. HIV is spread mostly through unprotected sexual contact and does not discriminate against anyone. It is not who you are but your risky behaviours which put you at risk of HIV infection. Regardless of your personality or sexuality, you will be at risk if you don't take protective measures.

Myth No. 11: My partner tested negative for HIV. That means it is safe for us to have sex.

An HIV test works by detecting the presence of antibodies in the body that develop when HIV infects the body. But it takes about three weeks for there to be enough antibodies for detection. In addition, to be sure that the individual is completely HIV-free, it is not enough to have one negative HIV test result - the individual would need to take another HIV test at least 3 months after the first one. He or she must also avoid any risky sexual activities in that whole period. If the second test result is negative, the individual is HIV-free and able to have sex without spreading HIV.
Myth No. 12: Faithful and loving partners do not spread HIV.

You may think that your partner has been faithful and loving to you, and will not spread the virus. But what if your partner doesn't know that he already has HIV? A person can be HIV-positive for years without symptoms. Besides, how sure are you about your partner's sexual history? Also, HIV can be transmitted through non-sexual activities -- such as blood transfusions and the sharing of injection needles -- regardless of whether he or she has remained faithful. To be safe, use a condom during sex, and get your partner and yourself tested for HIV.
Myth No. 13: HIV/AIDS cannot be transmitted during oral sex.

Transmission of HIV occurs when there is an exchange of body fluids (such as semen, vaginal fluids, breast milk, blood or pre-ejaculatory fluids), and this is possible during oral sex when there are open wounds. These include cuts, sores or abrasions in the mouth or gums, or infections in the throat or mouth that are inflammed. There may also be abrasions or sores on the penis or vagina. It is best to avoid oral sex if you have any cuts, sores or abrasions, or if you have a sexually transmitted infection. Otherwise, it is advisable to use condoms when engaging in oral sex.
Myth No. 14:  HIV can be spread during contact with saliva, such as through kissing or the sharing of utensils.

HIV may be found in saliva, but it is in too small an amount to infect anyone.
Myth No. 15: HIV is the same as AIDS.

HIV is the virus that leads to AIDS. A person is said to have AIDS when his or her CD4 count drops below 200 or when he or she has certain infections or cancers. A person can have HIV for years without having AIDS. Having HIV does not mean you have AIDS.
Myth No. 16:  I cannot get HIV from tattoos or body piercing.

It is possible to get HIV from tattoo and piercing tools that are not sterilized properly between clients. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that tools that cut the skin should be used once, then thrown away or sterilized between uses. Before you get a tattoo or have your body pierced, ask the right questions. Find out what steps the staff takes to prevent HIV and other infections, like hepatitis B and hepatitis C. You also can call your local health department to ask how tattoo shops should sterilize their tools. A new needle should be used for each person.
Myth No. 17: If the man I'm with had HIV, I'd be able to tell.
It can take 10 years for symptoms of HIV to show up. This is called the latency period. There may be a long period of time where someone has HIV but has no signs. The only way to fully protect yourself from sexually-transmitted HIV is to not have sex of any kind. Using a male condom correctly and every time you have sex may reduce the risk of passing HIV by 80 percent.
Myth No. 18: Since I am HIV-positive, if I get pregnant, I will spread the disease to my unborn baby.

 A woman who knows about her HIV infection early in pregnancy and is treated has about a 2 percent chance of having a baby with HIV. Without treatment, this risk is about 25 percent in the United States. All pregnant women should be tested for HIV. A woman with HIV in the United States should not breastfeed her baby because that is another way to pass the virus. There are other ways to prevent HIV in your kids.
Myth No. 19:  I have HIV. I shouldn't start drug therapy until I get very sick.

Even when you're feeling great, HIV is making copies of itself and attacking your body. When you finally start feeling sick, HIV has already hurt your immune system. At that point, nothing can bring it fully back to normal. To protect your immune system, most experts think you should start HIV medicines before you become very ill. Because these drugs reduce your "viral load," or the amount of virus in your blood, they also reduce your chances of passing HIV to others. However, taking HIV treatment does not guarantee that you will not infect others. Regular checkups will help you and your doctor decide the best time for you to start treatment.
Myth No. 20: Women can't give men HIV.

 It's much harder for men to get HIV from women, but it does happen. HIV does not live long outside the body. A man's penis is only exposed to HIV for the time that it is in a vagina or rectum. Men also may have fewer areas on the penis where the virus can enter the body. HIV can enter at the opening of the tip and through cuts or sores on the shaft. But if a partner has an untreated sexually transmitted infection (STI) like syphilis, gonorrhea, or chlamydia, the risk is higher. These infections can bring more CD4 cells to the area of infection, or cause breaks in the skin, both increasing the risk of passing HIV. Meanwhile, women have a higher risk of getting HIV from men. Because HIV is in the man's semen, which can stay in the woman's vagina for days, her exposure time is longer after sex. Also, the vagina provides a much larger area than the penis does through which HIV can enter the woman's body.

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