HIV/AIDS

 December 1st is World AIDS Day (aids), 40 years ago the first case was detected in Spain.

What is HIV and AIDS? 

HIV is the Human Immunodeficiency Virus and AIDS is the Human Immunodeficiency Syndrome. A person with HIV positive may or may not develop AIDS, for this early detection is key after contact risk and the prescription of drugs that can make the infection is undetectable and does not cause so many problems.

Normally you can not die from AIDS, you die from opportunistic infections that enter our body. AIDS causes the immune response to decrease and the person who has HIV positive or AIDS may have a low response to an infection or no response at all.

How is HIV transmitted? 

We have to make clear how it is NOT transmitted:

It is not transmitted by: Saliva, sweat, tears, water, hugs, touching, insect bites, sharing food or household.

YES it is transmitted by: anal, oral, vaginal, pre-seminal and seminal fluid (semen) and vaginal intercourse without a condom with HIV/HIV positive men and women and by sharing sharp objects (razors, syringes) with other HIV positive people and breastfeeding with the mother without treatment.

The most important measures to avoid HIV/HIV transmission are: 

1. Always use condoms in oral, anal, vaginal sex, etc. and do not share sexual objects.

2. Take pre-exposure prophylaxis if you have sex without a condom.

3. If we have not taken into account these measures or if the condom has broken, take post-exposure prophylaxis.

4. Take a post-exposure HIV test as soon as possible.

5. Keep in mind that in addition to HIV there are other sexually transmitted diseases and infections and blood that can be transmitted, so always use standard protection measures: condoms, water-based lubricants to avoid breakage, do not share sharp or sexual objects.