HIV/AIDS Nassau and Suffolk counties have the highest # of HIV & AIDS cases. More than any other suburb in the USA! * As of 12/2000, 6484 cases of AIDS have been REPORTED

HIV/AIDS Every 60 seconds…. 20 new people are diagnosed with HIV Every 45 minutes… 400 people die from AIDS complications…

HIV/AIDS Myths and facts quiz A virus that attacks your immune system HIV/AIDS is very smart, it MUTATES and has many forms THERE IS NO CURE

HIV/AIDS – CAUSES Blood to blood contact Sharing needles Sexual Intercourse Semen Breast Milk Promiscuous Monogamous Tattoos & Piercing

Tattoos & Body Piercing Can get HIV & Hepatitis Is your tattoo artist a doctor or a painter? Paints hold disease more than the needles (researchers don’t know why!)

Tattoos & Body Piercing Artists often pour leftover ink into the bottle Sterilization process found not to be working! Is your body piercing from a doctor or somebody else? - Do they know neurology?

Stages of HIV/AIDS 5 Stages/Phases 5 Stages/Phases Stage 1: Stage 1: –POINT OF INFECTION –Occurs 2 weeks after exposure to disease –PERSON HAS FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS

Stages of HIV/AIDS Stage 2: Stage 2: –WINDOW PERIOD –(also known as SEROCONVERSION) –This is the time when an HIV antibody test will be NEGATIVE! (~6 months) –No damage has yet occurred to the immune system

Stage 2 (continued) –Immune system begins to produce HIV antibodies (like any other disease) –These antibodies DO NOT perform their expected function of fighting off HIV and restoring the individual to health –Person feels “normal” –Person continues with their lifestyle

Stages of HIV/AIDS Stage 3: Stage 3: –ASYMPTOMATIC PERIOD –HIV test will now be POSITIVE! –HIV INFECTED PERSON WILL SHOW NO SYMPTOMS AT THIS TIME –Person feels “normal” –Person continues with their lifestyle

Stages of HIV/AIDS ASYMPTOMATIC PHASE ASYMPTOMATIC PHASE –This phase may last 10+ years –Medical science has not been able to identify factors which either shorten or prolong the period during which the immune system is damaged to the point that the infected individual begins to become ill.

Stages of HIV/AIDS SYMPTOMATIC PHASE (stage 4) SYMPTOMATIC PHASE (stage 4) - Fever without known cause - Fever without known cause - Profuse night sweats - Profuse night sweats - Swollen glands & minor infections - Swollen glands & minor infections - Chronic fatigue - Chronic fatigue - Weight loss unrelated to diet or exercise - Weight loss unrelated to diet or exercise - Diarrhea, thrush… - Diarrhea, thrush…

Stages of HIV/AIDS (stage 5) Full Blown AIDS T-Cell count drops below 200/ml blood * Must be reported when T-cell count drops below 500/ml blood (normally /ml blood) Opportunistic infections kill the person

HIV/AIDS As of 6/1/00 mandatory reporting BY NAME! Mandated reporters… medical professionals & laboratories Tests – ELISA & Western Blot

Testing Positive Partner notification - yourself or by Partner Notification Assistance Program (PNAP) Partner notification - yourself or by Partner Notification Assistance Program (PNAP) Telling your friends? MUST BE DONE or person is LEGALLY liable (people in jail now for knowingly infecting others) Telling your friends? MUST BE DONE or person is LEGALLY liable (people in jail now for knowingly infecting others)

HIV/AIDS info. Untreated STD … Easier chance of contracting HIV or giving it to another partner Medication – AZT, Drug Cocktails Pregnant women on meds, 98% chance of not infecting their baby Cost… $12-20,000/month!

Prevention of STD’s Promiscuous Promiscuous Monogamous Monogamous ABSTINENCE – THE ONLY WAY TO ALMOST GUARANTEE PREVENTION ABSTINENCE – THE ONLY WAY TO ALMOST GUARANTEE PREVENTION LATEX CONDOM - helps but does not guarantee you will not catch anything - “Safer Sex” Other types of condoms Spermicidal foams Oral Sex – still risky behavior

Information and Help Anonymous HIV Testing Phone #’s Anonymous HIV Testing Phone #’s - Nassau county Nassau county HIV Hotline – Long Island Assoc. For AIDS Care New York State Dept. of Health AIDS HIV Hotline – Long Island Assoc. For AIDS Care New York State Dept. of Health AIDS

Information and Help Websites Websites (health info) - (health info) - (disease & gen. Info) - (disease & gen. Info) - (food & drug admin.) - (food & drug admin.)