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HIV / AIDS Information

  1. What is HIV?
  2. What is AIDS?
  3. Statistics About HIV / AIDS
  4. Facts & Myths
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What is AIDS?

It stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. It is a result of being infected with HIV and usually happens 10 years after you first get infected; yet, it can take within a few months or up to 20 years after first being infected with HIV. Having AIDS means that your immune system can no longer protect your body and you get opportunistic infections.

A person is said to be diagnosed with AIDS when he or she gets opportunistic infections or cancers or their CD4+ count is less than 200. CD4+ cells are part of your immune system and they "tell" other cells what to do and how to protect you. CD4+ are especially targeted by the HIV virus, making a person infected with HIV weak and easy to get sick. A person infected with HIV that has already developed AIDS will not live more than 4 years.

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How do I know if I am infected with HIV?

The only way to know if you are infected with HIV is to go get tested at your nearest clinic. The tests that they usually perform are the ELISA and the Western Blot Test. Neither test is able to detect the HIV virus; the tests only detect the antibodies created by your body to fight the virus. Other tests that detect HIV are ORASURE , ORAQUICK, and Home Blood Collection.

ELISA

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. This test detects antibodies for HIV by looking at blood. The ELISA is a very sensitive test; if the results are positive (the person is infected with HIV) the test is repeated to make sure the results are still positive.

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WESTERN BLOT TEST

After two or more ELISA tests have positive results, the Western Blot test is given to check that the results are correct. Results for this test are usually available in 2-4 weeks.

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HOME BLOOD COLLECTION

You send a sample of dried blood by mail to a laboratory and call a toll free number to get the results.

ORASURE

This test collects samples of your cheek tissue called oral mucosal transudate (OMT), which is not saliva. The sample is sent to a laboratory where the ELISA and, if necessary, the Western Blot Test are performed. This test cannot be used at home and is only for persons older than 13.

ORAQUICK

This test works by drawing a drop of blood from your finger and you receive the results in 20 minutes. If the results are positive, a Western Blot Test needs to be performed just to make sure the results are correct.

Will anyone know if I go get tested for HIV?

There are two ways that you can get tested: Anonymous testing and Confidential testing.

Anonymous testing

This is when you get tested without ever telling anyone your name or any other personal information. Instead, when you go to the clinic or call you receive a random number and you get your results by giving that same number to the person helping you.

Confidential testing

This is when you do give your name to the person giving you the test like you usually do when going to the doctor. Yet only a few people know your name and that you are getting tested; they know not to reveal this information to anyone else. Your results, though, may be reported to the state health department without your name attached to them.
 
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