STD AWARENESS(for all sexually active people)

What is HIV?
HIV is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system-the body’s defence against diseases. The latest research suggests that between 70 and 90 per cent of people may experience symptoms of infection a few days after having been infected. Three symptoms occuring together: fever, rash and a severe sore throat should always be considered a potential indicator of HIV infection. These symptoms usually disappear within two or three weeks. Some people may not experience these early symptoms. In all cases, without effective treatment the immune system will become very weak and no longer be able to fight off illnesses.

Are HIV and AIDS the same?
No. When someone is described as living with HIV, they have the HIV virus in their body. A person is considered to have developed AIDS when the immune system is so weak it can no longer fight off a range of diseases with which it would normally cope.

Is there a cure for HIV?
No, but treatment can keep the virus under control and the immune system healthy. People on HIV treatment can live a healthy, active life, although they may experience side effects from the treatment. If HIV is diagnosed late, treatment may be less effective in preventing AIDS.

How is HIV passed on?
HIV can be passed on through infected blood, semen, vaginal fluids or breast milk. The most common ways HIV is passed on are:

Sex without a condom with someone living with HIV
Sharing infected needles, syringes or other injecting drug equipment
From an HIV-positive mother (to her child) during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding
Can you get HIV from oral sex?
Oral sex carries a much lower risk than vaginal or anal sex, but HIV can still be passed on through cuts or ulcers in the mouth if they come into contact with infected bodily fluids.

Can you get HIV from kissing?
No. HIV cannot be passed on through:

Kissing or touching
Spitting, coughing or sneezing
Toilet seats, swimming pools, or shared facilities or utensils
Can women living with HIV still have a baby?
Yes. HIV can be passed from mother to child, but there are steps that can be taken to reduce the possibility of the child contracting HIV to less than one per cent, including giving the mother and child antiretroviral HIV drugs, delivering the child by Caesarean and not breastfeeding the baby.

Could I get HIV?
If you are sexually active or share needles you could be at risk from getting HIV. Although anyone can become infected, some communities in the UK have higher rates of infection, such as gay and bisexual men and Black African men and women.

How can I protect myself from HIV?
Always use a condom when having vaginal or anal sex. You also may want to use a condom or dental dam during oral sex although the risk of transmission of HIV is much lower.

It is easier for a woman to catch hiv from a man than a man to catch it from a woman this is because the vagina is much larger during sex so it can take in more fluid from the man. also sometimes there is tearing inside it, which makes it easier for fluids to go into the bloodstream. the risk is lower for men because the urethra(opening at the top of the snake) is small and if your lucky no fluid might not get into it, or if it doesnt bruise(if she isnt wet and you try force it in dis might happen). however notice the word luck, all it takes is one time to catch it, so i would advise dont risk it. if you are gay the odds become much shorter, thats because the anus(batty) wasnt designed for sex, so the tearing etc makes it much easier to get infected. the vagina can stretch and not tear, while the anus cant. this is the reason why people use to say and some still say only gays can catch hiv, because its much much easier to catch it that way. to conclude anyone can catch hiv and we all know bareback sex feels good, but unless its with somebody that you at least know and trust, its just not worth it. remember you cant know if somebody have it by looking at dem, so use a condom unless you are in a monogamous(one man, one woman) relationship and you both safe.

p.s unless your rich like magic johnson den its kool