WORLD AIDS DAY
WORLD AIDS DAY 是什麼？
每年的 12 月 1 日為 World Aids Day（世界愛滋病日）。
其成立於 1988 年，由世界衛生組織的兩名官員 James W. Bunn 及 Thomas Netter 提議，是全球首個健康關注日。
世界艾滋病日旨在提高全球人民對愛滋病的認識及關注，並對已逝世的病人表示哀悼。
Myth 1: Living with HIV = having AIDS?
HIV / Human Immunodeficiency Virus refers to the human immunodeficiency virus.
AIDS / Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome is Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, which refers to symptoms.
HIV infection is divided into three main stages:
Acute HIV Infection (acute HIV infection)
Chronic HIV Infection (chronic HIV infection)
AIDS (AIDS)
When the number of CD4+ cells in the body is less than 200 cells/mm3, or opportunistic infection occurs, it is called AIDS.
Myth 2: AIDS is a terminal disease and people with HIV will die early?
As long as the infected person receives immediate, long-term and regular drug treatment, AIDS is a "controllable chronic disease" rather than a terminal illness.
According to statistics, after taking medicine regularly for 3 to 6 months, the virus will be almost "undetectable", the resistance will be significantly improved, and the person will have a normal quality of life and a lifespan similar to that of the average person.
Myth 3: You cannot get HIV from a single sex partner?
Your monosexual partner ≠ You are the other person’s monosexual partner.
If *one* of the partners has had sexual relations with two or more people, they are polyamorous.
If one party is infected and the other party mistakenly judges that they are a "low-risk" person, they will delay seeking medical treatment.
Safe sex + regular HIV testing is the safest approach.
Myth 4: Gay men are more likely to get AIDS?
Anyone who engages in unsafe sex has a chance of contracting HIV, regardless of gender or sexual orientation.
Myth 5: HIV cannot be transmitted through oral sex?
Oral sex does have lower risks than other forms of sexual intercourse, but there is still a chance of infection.
If you have oral ulcers, bleeding gums, genital sores or other sexually transmitted diseases and have unprotected oral sex, the risk of viral infection will be greatly increased.
Myth 6: Will HIV be transmitted by living with an infected person?
The HIV transmission route requires the exchange of body fluids and blood to have a high risk of infection, and there are specific transmission routes, including (1) having unprotected sex; (2) sharing needles or injections with infected people Tools; (3) Mother-child vertical infection, etc.
The amount of virus stored in feces, urine, saliva, tears, sweat and other excretions is extremely low and not enough to cause infection. Therefore, generally living with an infected person (including eating together, sharing toilets, hugging and shaking hands, etc.) will not lead to HIV infection.
Myth 7: Negative test result = no HIV infection?
After being infected with HIV, it takes some time for HIV antibodies to be produced in the blood. Therefore, the virus antibody test result may be negative. This period is the "window period".
Generally speaking, if the most common self-antibody test (i.e. finger/saliva sampling) is used, the window period is about 23-90 days.
To be sure that you are not infected with HIV, you must:
(1) The first test result is negative;
(2) There is no risk of virus exposure during the window period, and the second test result is negative Test results also came back negative after the window period*.
If there is any risk of virus exposure during the window period, you will need to be tested again.
Myth 8: A mother carrying HIV will definitely infect her child?
Mother-to-child transmission (pregnancy/delivery/lactation) is theoretically possible.
If pregnant women are tested for the virus and treated with medication in a timely manner, the amount of maternal virus can be suppressed. Combined with infant drug treatment after delivery, the chance of infant infection can be significantly reduced to less than 1%.
