Myths about HIV and Aids HIV is
not
transmitted by...
Insect bites
Toilet seats
Kissing
Sharing cutlery
Touching
HIV is passed on from person to person if infected body fluids (such as blood, semen, vaginal or anal secretions and breast milk) get into your bloodstream. The three main ways this can happen are: ■■ unprotected sex, ■■ from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding, ■■ injecting drugs with a needle that has infected blood in it.
I’m HIV positive.... Myth my life is over Although there isn’t a cure for HIV, treatment is so advanced that it is no longer considered a death sentence. People diagnosed with HIV in the UK today can have a normal life expectancy and live healthy and active lives. Early diagnosis is particularly important as the longer HIV goes undiagnosed the more damage it can do to the body. Truth
10
My partner would Myth automatically tell me if they had HIV
HIV is no longer Myth a serious issue in the UK
It is not always easy to tell someone you have HIV. In addition, over a quarter of people with HIV are undiagnosed. It is dangerous to assume that your partner would automatically tell you if they had HIV – either because they may struggle to confide in you or because they don’t know they have it! Your sexual health is your responsibility — always using a condom is the safest way to protect against HIV transmission.
Although HIV is now a long-term, manageable condition and not a death sentence, it is still a serious issue in the UK. More people than ever before are living with HIV in the UK and 6,000–7,000 people are diagnosed every year.
Truth
Truth