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AIDS is a
chronic, life-threatening condition caused by
the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). By
damaging or destroying the cells of your
immune system, HIV interferes with your body's
ability to effectively fight off viruses,
bacteria, and fungi that cause disease. This
makes you more susceptible to certain types of
cancers and to opportunistic infections your
body would normally resist, such as pneumonia
and meningitis. The virus and the infection
itself are known as HIV. The term acquired
immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is used to
mean the later stages of an HIV infection.
You may have
read or heard things that are not true about
how you get HIV/AIDS. Here are the FACTS:
- You
cannot get HIV through casual contact such
as shaking hands or hugging a person with
HIV/AIDS.
- You
cannot get HIV from using a public
telephone, drinking fountain, restroom,
swimming pool, Jacuzzi, or hot tub.
- You
cannot get HIV from sharing a drink.
- You
cannot get HIV from being coughed or
sneezed on by a person with HIV/AIDS.
- You
cannot get HIV from giving blood.
- You
cannot get HIV from a mosquito bite.
How
HIV is passed?
HIV is
spread through some of the body's fluids. HIV
is in:
- blood
- semen
- vaginal
fluids
- breast
milk
- some body
fluids sometimes handled by health care
workers (fluids surrounding the brain and
spinal cord, bone joints, and around an
unborn baby)
HIV is
passed from one person to another by:
- having
sex (vaginal, anal, or oral) with a person
who has HIV
- sharing
needles with a drug user who has HIV
- during
pregnancy, birth, or breast-feeding if a
mother has HIV
- getting
transfusions of blood with HIV, which is
rare in the United States
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