What can I do to protect myself from getting infected with HIV?

The first thing is to talk to your partner. It can be very uncomfortable to talk about AIDS because it requires talking about issues that are very intimate like sex and drug use. With practice, it can become more natural and you can help your partner to over come her/his embarrassment. Talk to your partner before you get intimate or share needles.

Sexual abstinence: Avoid the exchange of bodily fluids by not engaging in sexual activity.

Safer Sex: If you are going to have sex, talk to your partner about your plans. Go get the HIV test together before having sex. Then use a latex condom or barrier during sex. You can make sex even safer by using a spermicide with the condom.

Do not share needles or syringes: Do not share needles for intravenous drug use, tattooing, acupuncture, steroids, medications, or any activity in which the skin is punctured and blood is present.

What if I think I might have been exposed to HIV?

If you have done any of the activities that put you at risk of infection with HIV, it is very important that you seek counseling and testing. The only way to tell if you have been infected is by taking the HIV antibody test. The counseling that comes with the test will help you understand the impact of HIV infection and where to turn for services.

What is the HIV antibody test?

This is the blood test for the antibodies that your body makes to fight the infection by HIV. Your body takes a couple of weeks to 6 months in order to make these antibodies, so in order to get an accurate result the test should be taken 6 months after a potential exposure to the virus.