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It is important to understand what the risks of becoming infected are, and what is not risky behaviour, and how to the minimize risks.
The HI virus is NOT transmitted by the following contacts:
- Swimming pools
- Handling money
- Eating in a restaurant where the cook or waiter is infected
- Mosquito bite
- Using public toilets, telephones, transport or drinking fountains
- Touching someone who is infected
The risks of becoming infected can be reduced as much as possible by being aware of the possible ways the virus can be transmitted, and avoiding them.
It is important that you understand the meaning of “safe sex” where there is no possibility of exchange of body fluids between partners, and “safer sex” where the risk of exposure is reduced as much as possible.
“Safe sex” is regarded as any form of sexual activity where there is no possibility of exchange of sexual fluids [semen and vaginal secretions] or blood between partners, as this is the most common way in which HIV [human immunodeficiency virus] infection is passed between individuals.
This includes:
- Mutually monogamous sex where neither partner is infected
- Solo masturbation, phone sex, ‘cybersex’, and viewing pornography
- Abstinence
The risk of infection during sexual activity can be reduced by:
- Use of condoms [male or female] every time there is sexual contact
- Mutual genital stimulation without penetration
- Do not have direct sexual contact [oral, anal or vaginal] with any person [opposite or same sex partner] unless you are absolutely sure [by negative blood tests] that they are free of HIV infection.
- If you inject drugs, never share needles with anyone else. Use a new needle each time.
- Kissing: the possibility of contracting HIV through kissing is extremely small, however certain precautions are advised: deep kissing should not take place if there is any disease of the gums-inflammation or bleeding, or dental caries, or within and hour of brushing or flossing teeth as both can cause minor damage to the gums which may produce bleeding, - use a mouthwash instead.
- Oral sex: the vaginal secretions of an infected woman carry a very large load of the virus.
- Male to female oral sex: places the male at a much higher risk than the female. Use a barrier such as a condom cut lengthwise to produce a cylinder of latex, as well as ‘glad wrap’ placed over the woman’s genitals.
- Female to male oral sex: places the female at higher risk as semen carries a large load of the virus.
Oral sex [fellatio] should only be performed with a condom covering the penis. Under no circumstances should ejaculate ever be swallowed.
- Anal sex: the tissues lining the anus are more delicate than the vagina and penetration may cause trauma and bleeding. Condoms and a water based lubricant should be used in all instances of anal intercourse.
You cannot tell if a person has HIV infection because they look ‘healthy or clean’.
You cannot get HIV infection from touching an infected person or sitting on a toilet.
The virus is rendered non infectious by cold, dehydration, heat, and chemicals, and the virus cannot survive for long outside the body. The virus needs to gain direct access from one person into another in order to infect the next person.
People need to make decisions about their sexual behaviour prior to engaging in it. Once carried away by the passion of the moment when engaged in sexual activity it is difficult or impossible to make decisions about whether condoms will be acceptable, will be used, are available, or whether safer sex practices are acceptable to both partners. For these reasons individuals must be aware of their choices- whether to have sex at all, or with a particular partner, on a particular occasion, and how to make it as safe as possible on every occasion.
Transactional sex:
- Young adolescent girls may enter into sexual relationships with substantially older men in exchange for gifts or money.
- Male adolescents have reported being pressured by older women to engage in sex.
Transactional sex motivated by economic need is essentially nonconsensual, and increases the risk of HIV infection.
In Soweto among 4000 pregnant women aged 15-44 years transactional sex was associated with HIV sero-positivity. Women in this situation are at increased risk because the men are less likely to use condoms and are more likely to be infected because they often have multiple partners [1]
Societal acceptance of male dominance has contributed to high rates of rape or attempted rape in South Africa [2]. Young people-or adults- subjected to sexual abuse or rape are at risk of HIV infection, as forced sexual contact leaves them powerless over the circumstances in which they have sex.
People and especially teenagers must be made aware of these risks and their rights, and of the availability of post exposure prophylactic treatment against HIV and the need for urgency in getting the treatment within hours of exposure
As there is no cure for AIDS at present, the only way of stopping the spread of AIDS is prevention.
The following points are important:
- There is no chance of catching AIDS if your partner in any sexual contact is not infected with HIV. But you can only be sure of this if he or she has been tested for the virus, but not by looking at your partner.
- Frequent sexual contacts with those whose HIV status is unknown eventually exposes you to the dangers of being infected with the HIV.
- In the case of a drug addict, use a clean sterile needle each time, and do not share needles with anybody else.
- Don’t have sex without using a condom unless you are absolutely certain that neither you nor your partner has ever been exposed to the HI virus. This can only be determined by blood tests.
People who are HIV positive should:
- Adopt safe sexual practices and always use a condom.
- Refrain from donating blood, plasma, sperm, body organs or tissue.
- Not share tooth brushes, razors and other implements that could be contaminated with blood.
- Safely dispose of razors, used needles and other contaminated articles capable of causing injury to others.
- Inform attending doctors and dentists of their condition so that appropriate precautions may be taken.
- Maintain general health with a nutritious diet, adequate rest and regular exercise.
- Avoid: repeated viral or sexually transmitted infections such as herpes and gonorrhea, alcohol ingestion, abuse of recreational and addictive drugs such as cigarettes and marijuana.
- Ensure adequate treatment for their condition.
AIDS is a serious disease and you should ensure that you take every possible precaution to prevent becoming infected with the HIV, and if you are infected, take every precaution to ensure that your partner does not become infected, and if you have the disease AIDS, ensure that you live a healthy lifestyle and get treatment that is available.
