FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • What is HIV/AIDS?

    HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus that causes the disease AIDS, Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is the ultimate stage of HIV infection where the individual gets numerous infections.
  • How is HIV passed on?
  • The major route to spread HIV is through sex with an infected person (83%)· Other
  • routes are through transfusion of infected blood (3%)
  • Through sharing of syringes that are contaminated with blood of an infected person (especially by intravenous drug users)
  • From an infected mother to her baby during pregnancy and childbirth.
  • How is HIV not transmitted?
  • By shaking hands·
  • By eating and living together.
  • By sharing common toilets.
  • By mosquito and insect bites.
  • By working with HIV positive people.
  • How can we know a person has HIV/AIDS?
  • By doing a blood test which can be a quick ‘spot test’ or an ‘ELISA’ test.
  • We can suspect a person is HIV positive if a person develops some of the early clinical signs of AIDS.
  • What are the signs and symptoms of HIV/AIDS?
  • During the early stage of HIV infection the person may look and feel completely normal (although his blood test is HIV positive).
  • When the person enters the late stage of HIV infection and AIDS some of these signs and symptoms may appear – sudden loss of weight and appetite, recurrent intestinal infections, prolonged fever, cough, lung infections like tuberculosis and oral and vaginal fungal infections.
  • Is there a medical cure for HIV/AIDS?
  • No! Presently there is no proven cure for the disease.
  • Antiviral drugs can suppress the virus temporarily.
  • Can we prevent HIV/AIDS?
  • Yes! Scientists predict that if sex is practiced only within marriage – not before and not outside – then HIV/AIDS will be controlled within 30 years!