DO NOW: Please describe

Testing and Treatment of HIV Health Education Hackensack High School Ms. Yee

Truths of HIV 33.3 million people are living with HIV worldwide There are 40,000 new cases of HIV infection in the U.S., half of these cases occur in people under age 25 HIV is the 7th leading cause of death among U.S. children There is no cure for AIDS How does HIV relate to AIDS?

Why get tested? It’s quick, easy, free, private Can save your life, your partner, and the child’s life

How do HIV tests work? HIV testing tests for the antibodies in the body. The body produces antibodies that fight the infection A positive test means that the person is has the HIV virus

Testing HIV+ and HIV- To be diagnosed HIV+, you need: HIV + result on initial ELISA antibody test, AND HIV+ result on confirmatory Western Blot antibody test To be confident you are HIV-, you need an HIV- test result at least six months after your last possible exposure to HIV What are some ways that you can be exposed to HIV?

What is the “window period” and “false negatives”?

WINDOW PERIOD As long as 6 months Can transmit HIV to others Body has not yet made enough antibodies to HIV, so tests may be “false negative”

How accurate are these test? If a person is HIV+, there is a 99.7% chance the ELISA will give a result of “HIV positive” as it should. If a person gets an ELISA test result of “HIV positive” there’s a 98.5% chance that it is correct. WHY? 98.5% does not = 100%

Causes of False positive If a person tested HIV+ through an ELISA test but then tested negative for the infection, the test is a false positive Examples of false positive: Pregnancy, influenza vaccine, and autoimmune diseases like lupus

CAN I BE TESTED FOR FREE?

YES: In public health clinics STD centers

Can I be tested anonymously?

Anonymous testing only in NY state and NYC Confidential, Name-Based Testing If you don’t want to give your real name you don’t have to But then if it is positive it must be reported

Home based HIV testing Don’t need prescription Can buy from any pharmacy Mail sample in of saliva from gums, then call toll free number with a code number=need to pay

If I test positive do I need to report it? If the CD4 <500 Health Care Providers will be in violation of the Public Health Law if not reported

Are there needles to test? ELISA=No Oral swab or Finger stick If positive Western Blot=Yes Need to give blood

Does HIV=AIDS=death?

Factors Prognosis of HIV CD4 cell count=measures immune system Viral load, the amount of HIV in the blood Age How soon you start treatment Infection with Hepatitis B or C virus Injecting drug use

Testing sites Text ZIP CODE to KNOWIT (566948) Bergen County Department of Health Services
Health Counseling Center
120 South River Street
Hackensack, NJ 07601
(201) 336-3350 Planned Parenthood of Greater Northern NJ
575 Main Street 
Hackensack , NJ 07601 
(201) 489-1140

Bergen County Residents at Diagnosis HIV Cases reported 12/31/2010 Males Females Total STATUS Cases Deaths HIV infection 581 88 254 44 835 132

What to do??? Explain the relationship between risk behaviors and HIV/AIDS. A person has been engaging in behaviors that can lead to HIV infection. He has been tested for HIV and the result was negative. What should he do next?

Have a good day The end