HIV / AIDS Information

What is HIV?

• The virus that causes AIDS

How do I know ifI have HIV?

• By taking a simple blood test
• You can not look at a person and know if they have HIV

HIV infection comes from:

• Having unprotected sex with a person who is infectedwith HIV
• An HIV-positive mother passing the infection to her baby before or at birth
• Breast feeding by an HIV-positive mother
• Blood transfusion from an infected donor
• Other blood exposures, although rare (i.e., needle stick)

HIV is NOT transmitted by:

If HIV-infected,

• Don’t lose hope
• See a doctor trained in HIV care and treatment
• Get treatment

There is NO known cure for AIDS, but specific medicines called antiretrovirals can treat HIV effectively Many with HIV are tricked into spending their savings on traditional “cures” that do not work Faith-healing and prayer are helpful for some, but do not cure HIV

For More Information:

• Clinical Resources
  
  
• Additional Resources of the Web - A list of links to outside Web sites with information about HIV and AIDS.