AIDS stands for Acquired
Immunodeficiency Syndrome, a disease that makes it difficult
for the body to fight off infectious diseases. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) causes AIDS by infecting and damaging
part of the body's defenses against infection, namely the white blood cells
known as CD4 helper lymphocytes (pronounced: lim-fuh-sites).
How does
someone become infected? HIV can be spread through any type of unprotected sex
(oral, vaginal, or anal) if one of the partners has the virus. This can happen
when body fluids such as semen (cum), vaginal fluids, or blood from an infected
person get into the body of someone who is not infected. Someone can become
infected even if only tiny amounts of these fluids are spread. Everyone who has
unprotected sex with an infected person is at risk of contracting HIV, but
people who already have another sexually transmitted disease (STD) are even
more at risk.
HIV can
be spread sexually from a guy to a girl, a girl to a guy, a guy to a guy, and a
girl to a girl.
Sharing
needles to inject drugs or steroids is another way that HIV can be passed to
other people. Sharing of needles for tattoos, piercings, and body art can also
lead to infection. Someone with HIV who shares a needle also shares the virus,
which lives in the tiny amounts of blood attached to the needle. Sharing
needles also can pass hepatitis and other serious infections to another person.
Also, newborn babies are at risk of getting the
HIV virus from their mothers if they are infected. This can happen before the
baby is born, during birth, or through breastfeeding. Pregnant teens and women should be tested for HIV because infected
women who receive treatment for HIV are much less likely to spread the virus to their babies. Babies born to
mothers infected with HIV are also given special medicines to try to prevent
HIV infection.
Protecting Yourself From AIDS
The best
way to protect yourself from HIV is to abstain from oral, vaginal, and anal sex
and to not share needles.
If you do have sex, using
latex condoms properly every time can help protect you. Condoms work by
providing a barrier to the body fluids that can be shared during sexual
activity (including oral sex). Always follow the directions exactly and never
use the same condom twice. If you have had unprotected sex or have shared
needles with someone else, you should be tested for HIV. If you have had sex
with a condom, you also should be tested since condoms are effective when used
correctly, but are not perfect. And ask your partner to be tested as well.
Asking
people if they have HIV is not a reliable way of finding out whether they are
infected. People may not answer truthfully. They may be embarrassed to tell you
or may not want you to know. Or they may not even know they have the virus
because it can take many years for symptoms to develop. An infected person will
look healthy for many years and can still spread the virus.
Many places, such as
doctors' offices, health departments, hospitals, and sites that specialize in
HIV testing, can provide more information about HIV and AIDS, personal
counseling, and, testing. Talk with your doctor about any questions or concerns you might have.
Courtesy by: Larissa Hirsch, MD
teenshealth.org
Courtesy by: Larissa Hirsch, MD
teenshealth.org












