• An anonymous HIV test is when you do not give your name. You are given an ID number to [...]]]> The only sure way to tell if you have HIV is to get an HIV test, either a blood test or an oral fluid test, which takes a swab from the inside of the mouth.

• An anonymous HIV test is when you do not give your name. You are given an ID number to get your results.

• A confidential HIV test means you give your name when you are tested. Your test results become part of your private health record.

• In some places you can get a rapid HIV test and get results on the same day. If your test shows that you might have HIV, you will need a second test to learn for sure if you have HIV.

Any person, no matter what age, can be tested if he or she understands:

• what the test is for;

• what the test result means; and

• the types of care and treatment for people who test positive for HIV.

Before the test, an HIV test counselor or health care provider will make sure that the person getting tested understands these three points. Taking the test can be a hard choice for a young person. Try to support your child’s choice and offer help.

Some clinics offer free, anonymous HIV tests. Many local health department clinics, community health centers, hospitals, family planning clinics, and doctors offer confidential HIV tests.

Do not share needles to inject anything. You can totally protect yourself from getting [...]]]> Do not have sex. This is sometimes called abstinence. Not having sex is the only sure way to not get HIV. But, using a latex male condom or a female condom can greatly lower the chances of passing HIV through sex.

Do not share needles to inject anything. You can totally protect yourself from getting HIV from needles and syringes by not shooting drugs or sharing needles for any reason. If you cannot stop shooting drugs, take these steps to lower the chances of getting HIV:

• Always use new, clean needles and syringes.

• If you cannot get new, clean needles and syringes, clean your needles and works with bleach and water right after using them and just before using them again.

• Do not use other drugs, like alcohol, marijuana, crystal meth, ecstasy, cocaine, or crack. These drugs can prevent you from making good choices about sex and about using new, clean needles and works. If you are drunk or high, you may not protect yourself and others from HIV.

• By having sex without using a condom with someone who has HIV. • By sharing needles, syringes, or other equipment or works (spoons, cotton, bottle caps) [...]]]> Your age, sex, race, ethnic group, religion, income, or sexual orientation does not matter – anyone can get infected with HIV.

You can get HIV in these ways:

• By having sex without using a condom with someone who has HIV.
• By sharing needles, syringes, or other equipment or works (spoons, cotton, bottle caps) that have already been used by someone who has HIV to shoot drugs, steroids, or even vitamins or medicine.
• Women with HIV can pass the virus to their babies during pregnancy, delivery, or breastfeeding.
• Healthcare workers can get HIV if they get stuck with needles that have
blood or body fluids with HIV. This can happen by accident
at work.

You cannot get HIV from:

• casual contact – being near someone who has HIV or by shaking hands, touching, or hugging someone with HIV
• someone with HIV sneezing or coughing near you or on you
• someone’s tears, saliva, or sweat
• sharing drinking glasses, plates, forks, knives, or spoons
• using public bathrooms and drinking fountains
• mosquito bites or other bug bites
• swimming pools or hot tubs
• pets

HIV attacks the body’s immune system. The immune system [...]]]> HIV is the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It is the virus that causes AIDS. You may hear that someone is HIV-infected or has HIV disease. Both terms mean that the person has HIV in his or her body and can pass (transmit) the virus to other people.

HIV attacks the body’s immune system. The immune system protects the body from getting germs and disease. Over time, most people with HIV become less able to fight off the germs that get into their bodies every day. These germs usually do not make a healthy person sick. But when the immune system gets weaker from HIV, these germs can cause infections and cancers that can kill a person. There are medications that fight HIV and help the immune system stay stronger for a longer time. But, there is no cure to get HIV out of the body or a shot (vaccine) to prevent HIV. Once a person has HIV infection, he or she has it for life and can pass the virus to others.

People who are infected with HIV often do not get AIDS [...]]]> AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. It is the late stage of HIV infection. A person has AIDS when the immune system becomes very weak from HIV infection or when he or she gets one or more serious illnesses because of the HIV.

People who are infected with HIV often do not get AIDS for up to ten years or longer. Some people have lived with HIV infection for more than 20 years. HIV medicines can help people with HIV live longer, healthier lives.