how we prevent the spreading hiv virus

               Since the abbreviation stands for 'human immunodeficiency virus', he word virus is strictly redundant in the phrase HIV virus, although this is now established usage.A retrovirus that causes AIDS by infecting helper T cells of the immune system. The most common serotype, HIV-1, is distributed worldwide, while HIV-2 is primarily confined to West Africa.

Difference between hiv positive and hiv negative?

          HIV positive means that a blood test has detected the antibodies for HIV that your body has made in its response to the HIV virus in your blood. You now can pass HIV on to other people.

           HIV negative means that no antibodies/virus has been detected in the blood tests. 

HOW CAN YOU PROTECT YOURSELF AND OTHERS?

          Unless you are 100% sure that you and the people you are with do not have HIV infection, you should take steps to prevent getting infected. People recently infected (within the past 2 or 3months) are most likely to transmit HIV to others. This is when theirviral load is the highest. In general, the risk of transmission ishigher with higher viral loads. This fact sheet provides an overview ofHIV prevention, and refers you to other fact sheets for more details on specific topics.
  
Drug Use

          If you’re high on drugs, you might forget to use protection during sex. If you use someone else’s equipment (needles, syringes, cookers, cotton or rinse water) you can get infected by tiny amounts of blood. The best way to avoid infection is to not use drugs.
  
Vertical Transmission

         With no treatment, about 25% of the babies of HIV-infected women would be born infected. The risk drops to about 4% if a woman takes AZT during pregnancy and delivery, and her newborn is given AZT. The risk is 2% or less if the mother is taking combination an tire troviral therapy(ART). Caesarean section deliveries probably don’t reduce transmission risk if the mother’s viral load is below 1000.

 THE BOTTOM LINE

           HIV does not spread easily from person to person. To get infected with HIV, infected blood, sexual fluid, or mother’s milk has to get into your body. HIV-infected pregnant women can pass the infection to their new babies.

 

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