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Monday was one of the best days of my life. I watched as the community, both campus and greater Moscow area, came together to promote sexual responsibility and knowledge. It was World AIDS Day, and I am proud free HIV testing was available in the Idaho Commons.
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome is often heard about as a major problem in Africa. Many efforts are focused on assistance for infected individuals on this continent. Of course, people like me wonder how much of those efforts are of noble intent rather than due to a guilty conscience.
For example, the use of nonoxynol-9 on condoms caused a high HIV infection spike among test subjects (female prostitutes) in Africa. However, don’t overlook domestic infections.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus is not the same as AIDS. People don’t catch AIDS or get an AIDS test. In the HIV state, the virus is self-replicating inside human cells, specifically a particular white blood cell. It mutates and evolves, slowly weakening and eliminating white blood cells. An individual can live for several years with HIV with a proper lifestyle. An appropriate diet, adequate physical activity and limited alcohol and drug intake are all examples of this lifestyle.
Another important aspect to the proper lifestyle is to reduce or eliminate transmission risk. While an individual may be healthy and have a high T-cell count (the specific white blood cell), transmission to another individual is still quite possible. This is the virus transmitted, not AIDS.
It is also very important to receive regularly scheduled medical visits in order to monitor the body and health.
AIDS is when there are 200 or fewer T-cells per milliliter of blood in the body. At this point, the immune system is so weakened, it is unable to fight off diseases. AIDS does not kill a person. It allows opportunistic infections to take over the body and eventually
cause fatality.
Do not be fooled into thinking this is a calm, peaceful passing. Pneumocyctis pneumonia is the most common of these opportunistic infections. A patient with this disease will suffer a painful, coughing-fit filled death, not a slow withering into an endless sleep.
Some of you may be wondering how this applies to you. Quite simply, to some degree you are at risk. It is important to understand a disease along with risk factors to reduce individual risk and prevent transmission.
Can you get HIV from kissing? No. Can you get it from toilet seats? No. Can you get it from touching an HIV-infected individual? No.
Can you get it from unprotected sex? Yes. Can you get it from blood-to-blood contact? Yes. Can you get it from sharing needles? Yes.
Can you get it if you are neither from Africa nor a gay man? Yes.
Having clarified some misconceptions, I find it important to offer some suggestions for risk reduction.
It is a fact I love condoms. I think condoms are the neatest things ever made. I also think they should be used (whether male or female condoms) in all situations. Limit your sexual partners. While in some social circles sexual generosity may be considered quite charming, in general less is more.
Avoid mixing blood with another person. Avoid drug use involving injections. I am aware this may be easier said than done — at the very least, have your own needles to avoid sharing.
Most importantly, be sexually responsible. There is no excuse for not knowing your HIV status. I realize it can be quite terrifying to go in for an HIV test. However, not knowing your status and potentially infecting others is even scarier. If you are going to be mature and responsible enough to engage in sexual activities, then you must be mature and responsible enough to keep yourself healthy and well.
Do not trust your partner. It may seem dandy to take your partner’s word for it, but until you have your own test, consider any excuses as a misrepresentation of the truth.
Talk to your partner. If you receive a test, you must communicate the results with your partner.
Have fun, be safe and know your status.
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