HIV is a highly dangerous infectious disease caused by infection with the AIDS virus (HIV), a virus that attacks the body’s immune system. It targets CD4 T-lymphocytes, the most important cells in the immune system, and destroys them in large numbers, causing the body to lose its immune function. The incubation period of HIV in human body is 8 to 9 years on average, and before having AIDS, one can live and work for many years without any symptoms.
Myth 1: Everyday contact can infect you with HIV Answer: There are only three ways to spread HIV: sexual transmission, blood transmission, and mother-to-child transmission.
There is evidence that HIV is not transmitted through contact, tears, sweat or saliva. Therefore, the following ways will not be infected with HIV: breathing the same air as HIV-positive patients; touching toilet or door handles, drinking water after HIV-positive patients; hugging, kissing or shaking hands with HIV-positive people; sharing tableware with HIV-positive people; sharing gym equipment at the gym.
Myth 2: AIDS will not be transmitted between acquaintances and friends Answer: The current situation of the AIDS epidemic shows that the rate of sexual contact transmission is increasing rapidly, and the proportion of disease transmission between partners (husband and wife, male and female friends) is rising. Even if you are an acquaintance, friend or colleague, you can’t tell whether he is infected with AIDS or not. Cases of transmission between acquaintances and friends happen from time to time. When you first meet someone, you are more alert and will use condoms, but as your familiarity increases, you stop insisting on using condoms in order to show mutual trust in each other, and tragedies happen. In the case that you can not guarantee that you and the other party is absolutely one-on-one sexual relations and are healthy, you should use condoms.
Myth 3: If you have high-risk behavior, you can detect the infection immediately. Answer: The period from the time HIV enters the human bloodstream to the time when HIV antibodies are produced and can be detected by current testing methods is called the window period. The window period is usually 2 weeks to 3 months. Therefore, to know if you are infected with HIV after high-risk behavior has occurred, you need to be tested after the window period has passed.
Myth 4: HIV infection will lead to immediate death and morbidity Answer: No. There is a complete natural process from HIV infection to disease onset. The average incubation period of AIDS without treatment is 7 to 10 years, with some infected people developing rapidly, the incubation period can be as short as 2 to years; and some infected people developing slowly, the incubation period can be extended to more than 12 years. At present, China has carried out a wide range of HIV antiretroviral treatment, effectively extending the survival period of HIV-infected patients.
Myth 5: If you look healthy, you are not infected with HIV Answer: A healthy-looking person does not mean that he or she is not infected with HIV. Whether or not a person is infected with HIV requires a blood HIV test after the window period, and the appearance alone cannot determine whether or not a person is infected with HIV, and there is no difference between the appearance of a latent HIV carrier and a normal person.
Myth 6: Infected with undetectable HIV virus Answer: This is a misconception. AIDS phobia is commonly known as Islamophobia, and the negative results are also skeptical, always thinking that the test is inaccurate or the existing reagents can not detect their own virus, in fact, there is no unknown virus, so there is no need to panic.
Myth 7: Mosquito bites will spread HIV Answer: Relevant studies have found no evidence to support this view, even in areas with many mosquitoes and AIDS cases, no mosquitoes have been found to transmit HIV. When mosquitoes bite humans, they do not inject the blood of the previously bitten person or animal into the next subject. In addition, HIV only survives for a short time in insects.