Over the past three decades, false beliefs about HIV and AIDS have occasionally influenced actions leading to the virus’s spread.
Even though there are many unanswered mysteries regarding HIV, experts have learned enough to be sure that HIV-positive individuals are neither harmful nor doomed. Let us bust seven of such myths related to HIV/AIDS.
1. AIDS And HIV Are The Same
One common misconception is that anybody with HIV also develops AIDS. Being that society finds it challenging to distinguish between the two, this has come to be accepted as the most likely scenario. The idea behind AIDS is relatively straightforward: the Human Immunodeficiency Virus causes immune system damage that makes people more prone to infections and diseases, including fevers, mouth sores, lung conditions, yeast infections, and some malignancies. In addition, HIV is a disease that spreads, and AIDS is an illness that might arise if it is not treated. HIV-positive people may not also have AIDS, although AIDS-positive people certainly do have HIV.
2 .HIV Means Sure Death
The death rate from AIDS was quite high in the early years of the HIV epidemic. But now, improvements in antiretroviral medication allow people with HIV to live as long as people without the virus. People with HIV or even AIDS may have considerably longer, more regular, and more productive lives with the right therapy. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is crucial, as is discussing any other health issues you may be experiencing with your doctor.
3. HIV is Transferred via Touching
Many believe that AIDS may readily be transmitted by contact with someone with the illness, such as through sharing utensils or using the same bathroom. Some individuals even believe that contacting a diagnosed person would cause them to contract the disease, making simply shaking their hand seem like a difficult chore. This unfounded viral superstition has made people afraid to associate with HIV-positive individuals. The virus is typically communicated by sexual contact and body fluids such as blood, vaginal discharge, and semen.
4. HIV Symptoms Are Simple to Recognize
Individuals with HIV may have different signs and symptoms. Despite having HIV, some persons may not exhibit any signs of the disease. Early diagnosis is crucial because, in the absence of therapy, the virus will deteriorate over time and weaken your immune system.
You cannot determine if someone has HIV by looking at them. Many people don’t exhibit any symptoms; therefore, they may not even be aware that they have HIV.
5. Women With HIV Cannot Have Healthy Pregnancies
The pregnancy of an HIV-positive woman can arise through unprotected sexual contact, and most of the time, these pregnancies pass without any significant difficulties brought on by the virus. This disproves the misconception that women with HIV cannot have healthy babies.
6. Touching Someone Who Has HIV Can Transfer the Disease
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, touching does not transmit HIV. Handshakes, hugs, high-fives, or other similar gestures cannot spread the virus.
A person may only become infected with the virus if they come into contact with any of the following bodily fluids from an HIV-positive individual:
- Blood
- Mother's milk
- Preseminal/Semen
- Vaginal
For a person to be at risk of developing HIV, these fluids must touch another person’s mucous membranes, such as those in or on their mouth, rectum, vagina, or penis. Saliva is not a means of HIV transmission.
Additionally, using contaminated needles or injured skin might result in transmission.
7. I Can't Spread The Infection While I'm Receiving therapy
HIV therapies can reduce your blood’s viral load to a point where blood tests won’t detect it. Studies have shown that you cannot spread the virus if your viral load is undetectable. However, you risk spreading the infection to others if you stop taking your HIV medications or miss a dosage. To avoid side effects, take them precisely as directed.
To avoid spreading the infection to others, you should engage in safe sex. Even if you and your partner are HIV-positive, wearing condoms can protect you from drug-resistant strains of HIV. Raise awareness to acknowledge and address the injustices preventing efforts to eradicate AIDS.
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