TARRANT COUNTY, TX
Preventive Health Services
About HIV and AIDS
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus that attacks a person’s immune system – the part of the body that helps fight off infections.
AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is a condition caused by HIV after it has already done serious damage to the immune system. Once the disease has progressed to the point that a person is diagnosed with AIDS, they are at risk of dying from infections that would be easy for someone with a healthy immune system to fight off, such as the common cold.
While there is no cure for HIV/AIDS, it is possible to keep the disease in check and live a longer life by taking HIV medications (called antiretroviral therapy or ART)
How do you get HIV?
HIV is spread through contact with blood, semen, vaginal secretions or breast milk from an infected person. Three common ways people get HIV:
- Having unprotected anal or vaginal intercourse.
- Sharing needles, syringes, or other equipment to inject drugs.
- Passing the virus on to a baby during pregnancy, while giving birth, or while breastfeeding.
Other less common ways people can get HIV:
- Oral sex, especially if the person giving oral sex has open mouth sores or bleeding gums.
- Deep, open-mouth kissing could possibly transmit HIV if both partners have open mouth sores or bleeding gums.
- Receiving HIV-infected blood products between 1978 and 1985. All donated blood has been screened for HIV since 1985, and you cannot get HIV by donating blood.
How you won't get infected.
You cannot get HIV through the air or from casual contact. HIV IS NOT SPREAD BY:
- Living, working or going to school with someone with HIV infection;
- Shaking hands, hugging, or kissing;
- Sneezing or coughing;
- Sharing food, plates, cups or forks;
- Toilets, tubs, or swimming pools; or
- Mosquitoes or other insects.
It’s understandable to be afraid of catching HIV, but because of this fear, there are a lot of myths that have arisen about how the virus can be caught.
It’s perfectly safe to live, work, or go to school with someone who has HIV. The virus isn’t present in their saliva, mucus, tears, or sweat.
The HIV virus can’t live long outside of the human body, so it also can’t be transmitted through the air, on surfaces, or via insects like mosquitoes or ticks.
Visit the CDC's HIV Prevention page to learn more.
WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND ANYONE DEALING WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE SEEK TREATMENT
from a counselor, doctor or other professional care provider.
Low-cost or free substance abuse information |
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medications for HIV
If you engage in activities that put you at risk (such as having unprotected sex with multiple partners or those with HIV, inject drugs, or anything else), there are medications that help protect you from HIV.
When taken correctly, these drugs --called PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), can be highly effective at preventing HIV.
How can you tell if someone is infected with HIV?
It is impossible to tell if someone has HIV just by looking at them. A person infected with HIV may look healthy and feel fine, but they can still infect others. Anyone can become infected with HIV. It has nothing to do with race, age, religion, nationality or sexual orientation. People get infected with HIV because of what they do, not who they are.
HIV symptoms depend on the stage of infection, with most people only experiencing flu-like symptoms in the early stages (2-4 weeks after infection). After that, many people with HIV don’t have any symptoms and feel perfectly fine. They may not even know they have the virus – but they can still pass it to others.
The only way to know if you’re infected with HIV is to get an HIV test.
How does HIV testing work?
HIV is diagnosed by testing for the presence of antibodies to the virus using a small blood sample. Testing for HIV is fast and accurate, and depending on the type of testing necessary, results are available as quick as 30 minutes, or up to one week. There are also options to test for other STDs that are transmitted the same way as HIV. Adult Health Services offers syphilis and HIV testing at two locations in Tarrant County. Testing and counseling sessions take approximately 30 minutes but can vary depending on one's risk factors and test results. Rapid tests can also be purchased from a pharmacy and performed at home for relatively little cost. Learn more about comprehensive STD screening, including testing for HIV, syphilis and other STDs: Sexually Transmitted Disease (STDs/HIV) Here's more information on HIV testing, HIV treatment, and HIV prevention through Tarrant County Public Health: HIV Testing Information |
Why is HIV testing important?
If a person is infected with HIV, it’s important to find out as soon as possible because there are things one can do to stay healthy. Getting HIV treatment early one can help delay or even prevent AIDS from developing, as well as to prevent infecting other people with HIV.
If you are pregnant and infected with HIV, there are medicines available you can take to reduce your baby’s risk of getting HIV, both during and after your pregnancy. |
Who should get an HIV test?
Everyone should get tested for HIV on a regular basis (at least once per year).
