HIV = Human Immunodeficiency Virus

AIDS = Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

HIV attacks a person’s immune system. If left untreated, HIV can gradually destroy the immune system, leaving the body vulnerable to serious infections and malignancies. Once this happens, the person is said to have AIDS.

To develop AIDS, a person must first be infected with HIV. The only way a person can become infected with HIV, is if semen, blood, vaginal fluids, or breast milk passes from an infected person to another.

There are three main ways this can happen:

• During sexual intercourse without a condom.
  

• Unprotected sex allows contact between infected body fluids (semen, vaginal fluids, pre-cum and mucous) and internal membranes (the linings of the rectum, vagina, or urethra).
  

• If infected blood is introduced into someone else’s bloodstream. This occurs if injecting equipment is shared, or if tattooing, body piercing or surgical equipment is not properly sterilised.
  

• From mother to child during pregnancy, birth or breast-feeding. HIV treatments, caesarean section and bottle-feeding substantially reduce this risk.

You cannot get HIV from breathing air, drinking water, shaking hands, kissing, or the sharing of cups, eating utensils, or toilets, with a person with HIV/AIDS.

For more information on this site about gay and lesbian health and well-being, please click on the link below.

Gay & Lesbian Health & Well-being

For more information about HIV testing, please click on the link below.

Testing

Positive Women provide support and counselling for women living with HIV/AIDS. For more information about Positive Women, please click on the link below.

Positive Women

Straight Arrows provide supports for heterosexual men and women living with HIV/AIDS. For more information about Straight Arrows, please click on the link below.

Straight Arrows