Fact: HIV and AIDS are problems in the United States.

HIV and AIDS are not problems that exist only in Africa or in other parts of the world. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that more than 1.2 million Americans 13 years and older are living with HIV.

One in four people living with AIDS in the United States in 2014 was a woman. An estimated 128,778 women have died of AIDS since the beginning of the epidemic in 1981.

Fact: HIV is not the same as AIDS.

HIV is the virus that leads to AIDS. You have AIDS if your CD4 count drops below 200 or when you have certain infections or cancers. You can have HIV for years without having AIDS. Being infected with HIV does not mean you have developed AIDS.

Also, people with HIV who start treatment early in their infection, stay on treatment, and have an undetectable viral load can stay healthy and prevent the disease from progressing to AIDS.

Fact: HIV tests are reliable.

Newer HIV tests identify the virus itself and a marker on the virus called p24 antigen. These tests can detect HIV infection much earlier than previous tests. A follow-up test to confirm the results also can determine the strain of HIV infection you may have. 

Fact: HIV cannot be cured.

There is no cure for HIV at this time. But with today’s medicine, women can reduce their viral load (amount of HIV in the blood) to the point that it is undetectable. This means that your viral load is fewer than 40 to 75 copies in a sample of your blood.

An undetectable viral load does not mean that you no longer have HIV. It is still possible to pass HIV to others, although the risk is much lower. Having an undetectable viral load also helps prevent the progression to AIDS or getting other infections.

Research is being done that may lead to new treatments and new ways of preventing HIV infection. In the meantime, women with HIV are living full lives, including working, having children, and participating fully in their communities.

Fact: There is no vaccine to prevent HIV.

Right now we do not have a vaccine to prevent HIV. Vaccines are the best way to prevent diseases you can get from other people, like the measles, mumps, or polio. Researchers have been working for more than 20 years to develop a safe and effective vaccine against HIV.

HIV is a complicated virus that changes over time. This makes vaccine research difficult, and it takes a long time to do the research. Researchers are closer to developing a vaccine to prevent HIV and a vaccine to treat HIV and AIDS.

Fact: People with HIV should start HIV medicine right away.

Even if you’re feeling great and have no symptoms, HIV is hurting your immune system. To protect your immune system, most experts recommend starting HIV medicines (called antiretroviral therapy or ART) as soon as you are diagnosed with HIV. Because these drugs reduce your “viral load,” or the amount of HIV in your blood, they also reduce your chances of passing HIV to others.

Fact: You cannot know if your partner has HIV unless he or she is tested.

It can take years for you to see symptoms of HIV. This is called the latency period. The only way to fully protect yourself from sexually transmitted HIV is to not have sex of any kind. Using a condom correctly every time you have vaginal, oral, or anal sex can reduce the risk of passing HIV by 80%. Male latex condoms offer the best protection against HIV, but female condoms are also approved by the Food and Drug Administration to help lower your risk for HIV infection.

Use a condom every time you have sex for two reasons. First, your partner might be infected but not know it. Second, you cannot control your partner’s risky behavior. You can know only your HIV status and control only your own risk-taking.

Fact: You (or your partner) need to wear a condom during sex, even if you are both HIV-positive.

If you and your partner have HIV, you still need to practice safer sex. Use a condom every time you have vaginal, oral, or anal sex. Condoms can protect you from other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Also, since there are different strains (types) of HIV, you can be infected a second time with a different type than what you already have. Some forms of HIV are also more virulent, meaning they progress to AIDS faster. You could become infected with a drug-resistant strain of HIV. This can make it very hard for treatment to work.

Fact: Women can give HIV to men.

It is much harder for men to get HIV from women, but it does happen. HIV can enter a man’s body at the opening of the tip of the penis and through cuts or sores on the shaft that may not be visible.

Plus, if a partner has an untreated sexually transmitted infection (STI) like genital herpes, syphilis, gonorrhea, or chlamydia, the risk is even higher. These infections can bring more CD4 cells to the area of infection or cause breaks in the skin. These STIs also raise your risk for passing HIV to others.

Fact: A pregnant woman with HIV can lower the chance of passing HIV to her unborn baby to less than 1%.

A woman who knows about her HIV infection early in pregnancy and gets antiretroviral (ARV) medicine can lower the risk of passing HIV to her baby to less than 1%. Without treatment, the risk of a mother with HIV passing it to her baby is about 25% (in the United States).

If you are pregnant, get tested for HIV. Also, do not breastfeed your baby until you and your doctor are certain you don’t have HIV.

Fact: Lesbians can get HIV.

It is rare for women who have only ever had sex with women to get or pass HIV. But HIV can be passed through vaginal fluids and menstrual blood.

Avoid sex if you (or your partner) have HIV and either a yeast infection or your period. Also, do not share sex toys, because microscopic particles in the fluids on sex toys can pass HIV. You can also get HIV from drugs and shared needles or syringes.

Fact: Women of all ages, races and ethnicities, and sexual orientations can get HIV.

Any woman who has unprotected sex or shares needles or syringes with someone who is HIV-positive or whose HIV status is unknown is at risk for HIV.

HIV is not just a disease of gay men. In fact, worldwide, most people living with HIV are straight (heterosexual), and more than half of people living with HIV are women. In the United States, women make up about one in four people living with HIV.

Most women who are HIV-positive got HIV from unprotected sex with an HIV-positive male. 

Fact: You can get HIV from sharing needles or getting tattoos or body piercings.

Sharing needles is the second most common way that HIV is spread to women in the United States (sex is the most common way). Any woman who shares needles with someone who is HIV-positive or whose HIV status is unknown is at risk for HIV. 

It is also possible to get HIV from tattoo and piercing tools that are not sterilized correctly between clients. Tools that cut the skin should be used once and then thrown away or sterilized between uses.

Before you get a tattoo or have your body pierced, ask the right questions. Find out what steps the staff takes to prevent HIV and other infections, like hepatitis B and hepatitis C. You also can call your local health department to ask how tattoo shops should sterilize their tools. A new, sterilized needle should be used for each person.

Many, but not all, states regulate and issue permits for tattoo parlors. Before getting a tattoo, learn what regulations your tattoo parlor must follow and whether it has passed a health inspection.

Fact: HIV is not spread by mosquitoes, sweat, tears, pools, or casual contact.

Even if mosquitoes could carry the HIV virus, they do not inject blood into your skin. No transmission of this type has ever been reported around the world. Also, you cannot get HIV from shaking hands, using the toilet, or coming into contact with someone’s sweat or tears from their eyes. The only bodily fluids that are known to transmit HIV are semen, vaginal fluids, anal fluids, breastmilk, and blood (including menstrual blood).

The post Facts about HIV and AIDS for Women appeared first on Medika Life.

One hundred fifty-eight million Americans are now under some type of quarantine, and cabin fever is kicking in. Staying home and being alone is harder than we thought.

Endless hours of Facebook passes the time, but we are growing tired of cat pictures on Instagram. Alerts from Snapchat grow tiresome. We have worn out Netflix and Candy crush is getting old.

People may be tempted to check out a favorite dating app like Tinder, Bumble, or Grinder seeking some companionship.

Now is not the time to swipe right.

Covid-19 Basics

Coronavirus is a new virus. This means the human race has never been exposed. We have no baseline immunity or protective antibodies. We do not have a vaccine or effective medication to treat it. We are all susceptible to becoming sick with Covid-19.

Covid-19 is spread through person-to-person contact via respiratory droplets. Droplets first spread through coughing, sneezing, and respiratory particles. These particles get on our clothes and hands. We then pass the virus through handshakes, hugging, kissing, and other close human contacts.

Each one of us and every item we touch is a potential transmission source. Evidence now reveals people are highly infectious before they begin to show symptoms. To protect ourselves and each other, we must limit close contact with others.

As much as we don’t want to hear it, sex counts as close human contact.

Can we have sex?

Clear cut guidance on sexual contact is unclear. Much is unknown regarding Covid-19 transmission. Sexual contact involves close contact. Respiratory droplets are transmitted through saliva, mucous and physical touch.

If you and your sexual partner are following social distancing guidelines and sheltering in place together, then there is no evidence you should avoid sex. If your partner is showing symptoms such as cough, sneezing, sore throat, fever, or any other viral symptoms then sexual contact should be avoided.

Early in the pandemic, the CDC stated that Covid-19 has not been found in semen, vaginal or cervical secretions. It has been found in feces. Analingus should be avoided. Recent studies show Covid-19 has been detected in semen. The question of sexual transmission of Sars-Cov-2 is back on the table.

Healthcare workers must make adjustments. Healthcare workers may be exposed at work making us potential asymptomatic carriers. Social distancing from the health-care worker is likely warranted. This means changes in sexual practices are necessary.

Some healthcare workers choose to shower, wear a mask, and avoid kissing during sex. These steps seem reasonable, but there is no clear cut scientific guidance to indicate if this is safe or not.

You are your safest sexual partner

New York City public health has released a public service guide to sex during the pandemic. The message is,“You are your safest sexual partner.” There are no restrictions on masturbation. You can not give yourself Covid-19.

Mashable reports a sudden spike in sales for sex toys and aids. Given the unknowns regarding Covid-19, self-stimulation is likely the safest option.

For those who choose to ignore guidelines

We all must take the proper precautions to keep each other safe. For those who decide to disregard the guidelines, please use condoms, birth control, and consider PrEP therapy.

PrEP stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis. PrEp therapy is a prescription antiviral medication to prevent HIV infection for those at risk. When taken daily, PrEP is highly effective at preventing the acquisition of the HIV Virus. It can reduce the risk by 99%.

Sheltering in place

We all must do our part to prevent the spread of Coronavirus. Sheltering in place will not work if only some of us follow the guidelines.

We will succeed if we all do our part. We are in this together.

Do I still need condoms?

Safe sex practices with latex or polyurethane condoms are recommended unless you are in a monogamous relationship with a trusted partner. Condoms should still be used even if you are on PrEP as it does not prevent gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, trichomoniasis, HPV or any other STD.

What to do if you feel sick?

As testing availability increases across the country, we will see an increase in the number of cases. Many more will experience symptoms. It is tempting to go to a hospital or urgent care facility for testing. For the vast majority of patients, an ER visit is a wrong move with potentially catastrophic consequences.

Only those experiencing severe symptoms, such as difficulty breathing, need in-person medical evaluation.

Each patient who presents to an ER exposes other patients and medical providers to the infection. Once exposed, the medical provider is quarantined and removed from duty. We are seeing doctors and nurses getting sick all over the country. We need as many doctors, nurses, and hospital staff to care for those in need as possible.

The post Is Sex Safe During the Covid-19 pandemic? appeared first on Medika Life.

What unique challenges do women face in preventing HIV?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some prevention challenges are unique to women:

• Women can pass HIV to their babies during pregnancy and birth and through breastfeeding.
• A woman’s anatomy makes it easier to get HIV through sex compared with a man’s anatomy.
• Having a sexually transmitted infection (STI) raises a woman’s risk for HIV more than a man’s.
• Women are more likely to lack control in relationships and fear violence, stigma, or abandonment when trying to prevent HIV exposure.
• Women are more likely to be victims of sexual abuse. People with a history of sexual abuse are more likely to engage in high-risk sexual behaviors like exchanging sex for drugs, having multiple partners, or having sex with a partner who is physically abusive when asked to use a condom.

How can I prevent HIV?

The best way to prevent HIV is to not have vaginal, oral, or anal sex or share needles at any time. Sharing needles for any reason is very risky.

If you do have sex, lower your risk of getting an STI with the following steps:

• Use condoms. Male latex condoms are the most effective way to prevent HIV and other STIs when you have sex. Because a man does not need to ejaculate (come) to give or get some STIs, make sure to put the condom on before the penis touches the vagina, mouth, or anus. Female condoms can also help to prevent HIV infection. Other methods of birth control, like birth control pills, shots, implants, or diaphragms, will not protect you from STIs.
• Get tested. Be sure you and your partner are tested for HIV and other STIs. Talk to each other about the test results before you have sex. Having an STI increases your chances of becoming infected with HIV during sex. If your partner has an STI in addition to HIV, that also increases your risk of HIV infection. If you have an STI, you should also get tested for HIV.
• Be monogamous. Having sex with just one partner can lower your risk for HIV and other STIs. After being tested for STIs, be faithful to each other. That means that you have sex only with each other and no one else.
• Limit your number of sexual partners. Your risk of getting HIV and other STIs goes up with the number of partners you have.
• Get vaccinated. You can get a vaccine to protect against HPV and hepatitis B, which are STI’s. There is no vaccine to prevent or treat HIV.
• Don’t douche. Douching removes some of the normal bacteria in the vagina that protects you from infection. This may increase your risk of getting HIV and other STIs.
• Do not abuse alcohol or drugs. Alcohol or drug abuse may lead to risky behaviors such as sharing needles to inject drugs or not using a condom when you have sex.

The steps work best when used together. No single step can protect you from every single type of STI.

Male latex condoms are a highly effective way to prevent HIV and other STIs, but almost one in every five women who uses only condoms for birth control gets pregnant. The best way to prevent both STIs and pregnancy is to use a latex condom along with another highly effective method of birth control such as an intrauterine device (IUD), an implant, or the shot.

Can I take medicine to prevent getting or passing HIV?

Yes. Several medicines are available to help lower your risk of getting or passing HIV:

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)

PrEP is an HIV prevention method for people who do not have HIV infection but who may be at high risk. PrEP is a pill you take by mouth every day.

Talk to your doctor about PrEP if:

• You are HIV-negative but your partner is HIV-positive (known as serodiscordant or mixed-status couples)
• You are not in a monogamous relationship (you or your partner also have sex with other people) and you do not always use condoms
• You inject illegal drugs or share needles
• You have a partner who is HIV-positive, and you want to get pregnant. PrEP may help protect you and your baby.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that PrEP could prevent transmission in as many as 140,000 serodiscordant heterosexual couples. Learn more about PrEP.

Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)

PEP is an anti-HIV medicine for people who may have been very recently exposed to HIV. If you think you have been exposed (for example, if a condom breaks), or if you were sexually assaulted, talk to your doctor or nurse about taking PEP.

You must take PEP within three days of exposure to help lower your risk for HIV. You then take two to three antiretroviral medicines for 28 days to prevent the virus from copying itself and spreading through your body.

While taking PEP, you still need to take steps to prevent HIV, including using a condom with sex partners. 

Antiretroviral medicines

If you are HIV-positive, taking antiretroviral (ARV) medicine can reduce your viral load (the amount of HIV in your blood) to keep you healthy. Knowing your viral load measurement and how to control it by reducing it to undetectable levels can protect your unborn baby during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. It can also help prevent spreading HIV to your sexual partner.

What are some behaviors that can raise a woman’s risk for HIV?

Behaviors that raise a woman’s risk for HIV include:

• Having sex with a male partner who has had sex with another man or who has used intravenous (IV) drugs. Sex with a man is the most common way women are infected with HIV.
• Using injection drugs and sharing needles. This is the second most common way that HIV is spread.
• Abusing drugs and alcohol. This can lead to risky behavior, including having sex without a condom, not knowing a partner’s HIV status, or injecting drugs.

Women who drink alcohol or use drugs may also be at higher risk of sexual assault or rape, which may put you at risk for HIV. If you are assaulted or raped, you need to see a doctor right away. Your doctor may decide that you should get post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). These drugs may lower your chances of getting HIV after you have been exposed to the virus. But these drugs work only if you see a doctor within three days of exposure.

How can I prevent HIV if I inject drugs?

Intravenous (IV) drug users who share needles are at high risk for HIV. Sharing needles can place another person’s blood right into your body, even if the amount is so small that you can’t see it on the needle.

People who inject steroids, insulin, or medicines for other health problems are at risk for HIV if they do not use sterilized needles every time. Whenever you need to use a needle, be sure that it is sterilized. Do not share needles with anyone. You can also get HIV if the equipment used for body piercings and tattoos is not sterilized.

If you inject drugs or medicines, follow these steps to lower your risk of getting HIV:

• Never reuse or “share” needles, syringes, water, or drug preparation equipment.
• Only use needles and syringes that you got from a reliable source (such as drugstores or needle exchange programs).
• Use a new, sterile needle or syringe each time.
• If you must use a needle used by others, clean it with bleach before using it.
• If possible, use sterile water to prepare drugs; otherwise, use clean water from a reliable source (such as fresh tap water).
• Use a new or disinfected container (“cooker”) and a new filter (“cotton”) to prepare drugs.
• Clean the injection site with a new alcohol swab prior to injection.
• Throw away needles and syringes after one use. Do not throw them in the regular trash. You can use an old laundry detergent or milk jug to collect used needles and syringes and then seal the container before disposing of it. Check with your local health department about the correct way to throw away the container.
• Don’t share needles or syringes with friends or family.

How can I prevent HIV if I get tattoos or body piercings?

Follow these steps to lower your risk of getting HIV:

• Ask questions about how the staff sterilizes their equipment. Single-use instruments that cut the skin should be used once and then thrown away. Reusable instruments that cut the skin should be cleaned and sterilized between uses.
• Find out what steps the staff takes to prevent HIV and other infections, like hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
• Make sure your tattoo parlor follows state regulations and health inspections.

I’m pregnant and have HIV. Will my baby get HIV?

If you are getting treatment for HIV, the answer is most likely no. When HIV medicine is used consistently and correctly, a pregnant woman living with HIV who is treated for HIV early in her pregnancy can lower the risk of delivering a baby with HIV to less than 1%. Without treatment, this risk is about 25% in the United States.

All women need to be tested for HIV during their first prenatal care visit, early in the pregnancy. High-risk women who get a negative HIV test result should be tested again later in pregnancy.

Treatment, called antiretroviral therapy, works best when it is:

• Started as early as possible in pregnancy
• Also given during labor and delivery
• Given to the infant after birth

If you are HIV-positive and your viral load is greater than 1,000 copies per milliliter, your doctor may recommend delivering your baby by cesarean (C-section).

I have HIV. Can I breastfeed my baby?

No. If you have HIV, do not breastfeed. In the United states and other countries where clean water is available, using a breastmilk substitute like formula is strongly recommended for women with HIV, because you can pass the virus to your baby through breastmilk.

You can also ask your doctor, midwife, or pediatrician about getting human breastmilk from a milk bank. Find a human milk bank through the Human Milk Banking Association of North America.

Recommendations about breastfeeding with HIV may be different for other countries where clean water is not always available.

How can I help protect my children from HIV?

One way to help protect your children from HIV is to talk to them about HIV, AIDS, and the sexual behaviors that raise their risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The earlier you start talking about it, the better. By the third grade, almost all children have heard about HIV.

According to a 2013 national survey of high school students:

• About half of all students have had sex at least once
• One-third are sexually active (have had sex in the past three months)
• Nearly half of the students who are sexually active did not use a condom the last time they had sex

Offsite Resources

For more information about HIV prevention check out the following resources from other organizations:

• Guidelines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in HIV-1-Infected Adults and Adolescents — Clinical guidelines from AIDS on antiretroviral therapy (ART).
• HIV Risk and Prevention — Information from the CDC.
• The Basics of HIV Prevention — Fact sheet from AIDS.
• Preexposure Prophylaxis for the Prevention of HIV Infection in the United States — 2014 — Clinical practice guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Public Health Service.

The post HIV Prevention for Women appeared first on Medika Life.

Should I get tested for HIV?

According to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, get tested for HIV if you are:

• Older than 15. All women and girls older than 15 need to be tested at least once.
• Pregnant. Every pregnant woman should have an HIV test as early as possible in the pregnancy. You need to get tested even if you have been tested before. Also, consider getting tested for HIV if you plan to get pregnant.

Some women with HIV don’t know they have it, because HIV may not cause symptoms for several years. 
Even if HIV causes no symptoms, it is still causing problems with your body’s immune system that need to be treated as soon as possible.

Some women who test negative assume their partners must be HIV-negative too. But your HIV test reveals only your status, not your partner’s.

When should I get tested for HIV?

If you think you might have been exposed to HIV, get tested. But testing right away may not pick up early HIV infection. The first HIV test taken soon after infection may say that you do not have HIV even if you do. That is because some HIV tests look for antibodies (the body’s natural immune response to a foreign invader) that your body may not have developed yet.

If you get HIV, your body will usually begin to develop antibodies within three to 12 weeks (21 to 84 days). The time between being exposed and developing antibodies is called the “window period.”

There are newer HIV tests available that can tell whether you are HIV-positive early after exposure to the virus. One of the newer tests looks for the virus itself, by testing for viral load (the amount of HIV in your blood) and a marker on the virus called p24 antigen. This test is much more sensitive. It can detect HIV within nine to 11 days after exposure. This type of test may be more expensive. Ask your doctor if this test is available when you get tested for HIV.

How can I get free HIV testing?

Many clinics and doctors’ offices have free or low-cost HIV testing. If you have health insurance, you may be able to get free HIV testing under the Affordable Care Act (the health care law). HIV screening and counseling for women are covered without cost sharing in most private health insurance plans. Medicaid also covers certain recommended preventive services, including HIV screening for women at higher risk for HIV, without cost sharing or deductibles.

HIV testing for people with Medicare is usually covered once every 12 months. Pregnant women with Medicare can get up to three HIV tests for free during pregnancy.

Ask if the newer HIV test, which picks up infection earlier, is available when you get tested for HIV.

The Three HIV Tests explained

There are three types of tests available: nucleic acid tests (NAT), antigen/antibody tests, and antibody tests. HIV tests are typically performed on blood or oral fluid. They may also be performed on urine.

• A NAT looks for the actual virus in the blood and involves drawing blood from a vein. The test can either tell if a person has HIV or tell how much virus is present in the blood (known as an HIV viral load test). While a NAT can detect HIV sooner than other types of tests, this test is very expensive and not routinely used for screening individuals unless they recently had a high-risk exposure or a possible exposure and have early symptoms of HIV infection.
• An antigen/antibody test looks for both HIV antibodies and antigens. Antibodies are produced by your immune system when you’re exposed to viruses like HIV. Antigens are foreign substances that cause your immune system to activate. If you have HIV, an antigen called p24 is produced even before antibodies develop. Antigen/antibody tests are recommended for testing done in labs and are now common in the United States. This lab test involves drawing blood from a vein. There is also a rapid antigen/antibody test available that is done with a finger prick.
• HIV antibody tests only look for antibodies to HIV in your blood or oral fluid. In general, antibody tests that use blood from a vein can detect HIV sooner after infection than tests done with blood from a finger prick or with oral fluid. Most rapid tests and the only currently approved HIV self-test are antibody tests.

Talk to your health care provider about what type of HIV test is right for you.

How long does it take to get results?

• Laboratory tests (NATand antigen/antibody) require blood to be drawn from your vein into a tube and then that blood is sent to a laboratory for testing. The results may take several days to be available.
• With a rapid antibody screening test, usually done with blood from a finger prick or with oral fluid, results are ready in 30 minutes or less.
• The rapid antigen/antibody test is done with a finger prick and takes 30 minutes or less.
• The oral fluid antibody self-test provides results within 20 minutes.

How soon after an exposure to HIV can a test detect if I have the virus?

No HIV test can detect HIV immediately after infection. If you think you’ve been exposed to HIV in the last 72 hours, talk to your health care provider about post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), right away.

The time between when a person may have been exposed to HIV and when a test can tell for sure whether they have the virus is called the window period. The window period varies from person to person and depends on the type of test used to detect HIV. Ask your health care provider or test counselor about the window period for the test you’re taking.

• A nucleic acid test (NAT)can usually tell you if you have HIV infection 10 to 33 days after an exposure.
• An antigen/antibody test performed by a laboratory on blood from a vein can usually detect HIV infection 18 to 45 days after an exposure. Antigen/ antibody tests done with blood from a finger prick can take longer to detect HIV (18 to 90 days after an exposure).
• Antibody tests can take 23 to 90 days to detect HIV infection after an exposure. Most rapid tests and self-tests are antibody tests. In general, antibody tests that use blood from a vein can detect HIV sooner after infection than tests done with blood from a finger prick or with oral fluid.

The post Getting Tested for HIV. What Women Need to Know. appeared first on Medika Life.

Who is at risk for HIV?

All women can get HIV, but your risk for getting HIV is higher if you:

• Have unprotected sex
• Have injected illegal drugs, either now or in the past
• Had sex with someone to get money or drugs in return or with someone who has traded sex for money or drugs
• Had sex with someone who
  • Has HIV
  • Has sex with both men and women
  • Injects drugs
• Have another sexually transmitted infection (STI)
• Had a blood transfusion between 1978 and 1985

Women who have sex with men

In the United States, most women get HIV from having sex with a man.

Women are more likely than men to get HIV during vaginal sex because:

• The vagina has a larger surface area (compared with the penis) that can be exposed to HIV-infected semen.
• Semen can stay in your vagina for several days after sex. This means you are exposed to the virus longer.
• Having a vaginal yeast infection, bacterial vaginosis, or an untreated sexually transmitted infection (STI) makes HIV transmission more likely. This is because the yeast or bacterial infection or STI brings white blood cells (and therefore CD4 cells that can be infected with HIV) into the vaginal area. Small cuts on the skin of your vagina (common with genital ulcers from herpes or syphilis) are hard to notice but may allow HIV to pass into your body.

As a woman, you are more likely to get HIV during vaginal sex when:

• You are unaware of your partner’s risk factors for HIV. Some men, for example, have sex with men as well as women but do not tell their female partners.
• Your male partner was recently infected. During this time, the amount of HIV in his semen is higher. Exposure during early infection may cause up to half of all HIV transmissions in the United States.
• Your partners do not use male latex condoms or you do not use female condoms correctly every time you have sex.
• You have a history of sexual abuse, which can lead to riskier future behavior.
• You have sex with multiple partners or have sex with someone who is having sex with multiple partners.
• You have sex in exchange for money or drugs.
• You misuse drugs or alcohol before or during sex.

Women who inject drugs or share needles

Women who use injection drugs or share needles or syringes and other injection equipment are at high risk for HIV. In fact, sharing needles is the second most common way that HIV is spread. (Sex is the most common way that HIV is spread.) Use of injected drugs also raises your risk for risky behaviors, such as not using a condom during sex. In a study of U.S. cities with high levels of HIV, 72% of women who injected drugs reported having sex without a condom in the past year.

If you use injection drugs, talk to your doctor about medicine, called pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), to prevent getting HIV.

Women who have sex with women

Women who have sex only with women might think they are safe from HIV. This type of HIV transmission is rare. If you are a woman and your female partner has HIV, you can get it if you have cuts, bleeding gums, or sores in your mouth and you give oral sex. It is also possible to spread HIV through menstrual blood and shared sex toys.

As a woman who has sex with women, it is also possible to get HIV if:

• You inject or your partner injects drugs with someone who has HIV
• You have or your partner has sex with a man who has HIV
• You are trying to get pregnant and use semen that has not been tested for HIV or sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

Lower your risk of getting HIV or passing it to your partner:

• Know your HIV status and your partner’s HIV status.
• Take steps to protect yourself and others from HIV.
• Use latex condoms correctly and every time if you have sex with men.
• Use dental dams correctly.
• Never share sex toys.

Younger women

Young women are at risk for HIV:

• According to a 2013 survey, only half of female high school students used a condom the last time they had sex. Only one in eight female high school students in the study had ever been tested for HIV.
• Younger women are more likely to have a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Having an untreated STI makes HIV transmission more likely. An untreated vaginal yeast or bacterial infection can also increase the risk of transmission. This is because the infection brings white blood cells (and therefore CD4 cells that can be infected with HIV) into the area. This is especially true for women, because small cuts on the skin of the vagina are hard to notice but may allow HIV to pass into your body.
• Teen girls and younger women are at higher risk for HIV infection than adult women, because their reproductive tract is still developing.

Older women

Women over 50 are still at risk for HIV. Older women are more likely than younger women to be diagnosed with HIV much later after they are first infected.

This may be because older women may think they do not need condoms, because they do not worry about getting pregnant. They may not talk about safe sex with their doctors or partner or get tested regularly for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Their doctors may also not suspect their symptoms could be caused by HIV. A later diagnosis can mean a later start to treatment and possibly more damage to your immune system. It can also raise the risk of spreading HIV to other people.

You can get HIV at any age. In fact, the decrease in hormone levels during and after menopause means your vagina will probably not be as lubricated (wet) as it used to be. This means that you have a greater risk for tiny cuts in your vagina during sex that can make it easier for HIV to get in.

Other health concerns

Older women with HIV also need to think about other health problems, such as heart disease and osteoporosis. If you have HIV, talk to your doctor about steps you can take to lower your risk of these problems. Ask about screening tests you might need as you age.

African-American and Hispanic women

Women of color, especially African-American and Hispanic women, are disproportionately affected by HIV.

• African-American women made up more than 61% of new HIV infections among women in 2015 but are only 14% of the female population in the United States. African-American women face the highest risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) compared with women of other groups. However, many African-American women do not know their HIV status. Poverty, stigma, and fear of discrimination may prevent women from getting tested or seeking care if infected.
• Hispanic women made up 15% of new HIV infections among women in 2015. Cultural challenges may raise Hispanic women’s risk for HIV. Hispanic women may avoid seeking testing, counseling, or treatment if infected because of their immigration status, stigma, or fear of discrimination. Poverty may also prevent Hispanic women from getting care.

Act Against AIDS: Take Charge. Take the Test.

Take Charge. Take the Test.™ urges African-American women to get tested for HIV. The program is part of the Act Against AIDS campaign by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The effort helps you recognize your risk of getting HIV and the need for HIV testing. It provides you with the information and help you need to take charge of your life — whatever your HIV test result.

The post Women and HIV in the US appeared first on Medika Life.

When taken daily, PrEP is highly effective for preventing HIV. Studies have shown that PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99% when taken daily. Among people who inject drugs, PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV by at least 74% when taken daily. PrEP is much less effective if it is not taken consistently.

As PrEP only protects against HIV, condoms are important for the protection against other STDs.

How does PrEP work?

What is the difference between PrEP and PEP?

• Post = after
• Exposure = coming into contact with HIV
• Prophylaxis = treatment to prevent an infection from happening

Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is an HIV prevention strategy where HIV-negative individuals take HIV medications after coming into contact with HIV to reduce their risk of becoming infected. PEP is a month-long course of drugs and must be started within 72 hours after possible exposure.

Who does PrEP work for

PrEP has been shown to help reduce HIV infection risk in multiple studies. The iPrEx trial showed that PrEP reduces the risk of HIV infection among gay and bisexual men and transgender women. Two large trials, Partners PrEP and TDF2, showed that PrEP also reduces the risk of HIV infection among heterosexual men and women. The Bangkok Tenofovir Study demonstrated that PrEP works for people who inject drugs.

Effectiveness

Truvada for PrEP provides 92%-99% reduction in HIV risk for HIV-negative individuals who take the pills every day as directed. If a daily dose is missed, the level of HIV protection may decrease. It only works if you take it. People who use PrEP correctly and consistently have higher levels of protection against HIV.
According to data analysis from the iPrEx study that found PrEP to be effective:

• For people who take 7 PrEP pills per week, their estimated level of protection is 99%.
• For people who take 4 PrEP pills per week, their estimated level of protection is 96%.
• For people who take 2 PrEP pills per week, their estimated level of protection is 76%.

There are not enough data available to provide specific timing guidance on non-daily use, so the FDA recommends PrEP be used daily to achieve the highest level of protection.
A few things to note:

• When starting PrEP, it takes at least seven days to reach high levels of protection against HIV.
• When stopping PrEP, individuals should continue using PrEP for four weeks after the last significant exposure.
• PrEP does not protect against other sexually transmitted infections (STI) or pregnancy. It is not a cure for HIV.

Medication options for PrEP

Two medications, sold under the brand names Truvada® and Descovy® are approved for daily use as PrEP to help prevent a person without HIV from getting the virus from sex or injection drug use. You need to discuss your individual needs with your doctor and consider the possible side effects of each drug.

Truvada and Descovy belong to a drug class known as NRTIs, which inhibit and block the virus enzyme called reverse transcriptase. By blocking the action of reverse transcriptase, both drugs in combination with another ARV work together to prevent HIV from multiplying in the body. Both drugs are highly effective in reducing the amount of HIV in the T-cells (white blood cells).

Truvada® 

Truvada is an NRTIs drug designed to intercept and inhibit or block the HIV virus enzyme called reverse transcriptase. This enzyme actively infects the DNA and uses it to make copies of the virus. Once these cells are infected, the body’s immune function becomes weaker as the viral load count increases.

Truvada, combined with another ARV medicine, work together to prevent the virus from increasing or replicating in the CD4 cells. The more a patient uses Truvada, the more its concentration in the body increases and becomes highly effective in reducing the amount of HIV in the T-cells (white blood cells).

As PrEP, Truvada intercepts the virus before it enters into the body. PrEP is an effective strategy where the active substances in Truvada stay alert to kill the virus in its early stages before it inhibits the cell DNA causing AIDS.

• You must be HIV-negative before you start and while taking TRUVADA for PrEP. Do not take TRUVADA to reduce the risk of getting HIV-1 unless you are confirmed to be HIV-negative.
  • Get tested for HIV-1 immediately before and at least every 3 months while taking TRUVADA.
  • If you think you were exposed to HIV-1, tell your healthcare provider right away.
• Many HIV-1 tests can miss HIV-1 infection in a person who has recently become infected. If you have flu-like symptoms, you could have recently become infected with HIV-1. Tell your healthcare provider if you had a flu-like illness within the last month before starting or at any time while taking TRUVADA.
  • Symptoms of new HIV-1 infection include tiredness, fever, joint or muscle aches, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, night sweats, and/or enlarged lymph nodes in the neck or groin.
• You must continue to use safer sex practices. Just taking TRUVADA for PrEP may not keep you from getting HIV-1.
  • Do not miss any doses of TRUVADA. Missing doses may increase your risk of getting HIV-1 infection.

Serious side effects of TRUVADA may also include:

• Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys before and during treatment with TRUVADA. If you develop kidney problems, your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking TRUVADA.
• Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.
• Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.
• Bone problems, including bone pain, softening, or thinning, which may lead to fractures. Your healthcare provider may do tests to check your bones.

Common side effects in people taking TRUVADA for PrEP are headache, stomach-area (abdomen) pain, and decreased weight. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or do not go away.

Descovy®

Descovy® for PrEP is recommended to prevent HIV for people at risk through sex, excluding people at risk through receptive vaginal sex. Because Descovy has not yet been studied for HIV prevention for receptive vaginal sex, it may not be appropriate for some people.

Descovy works the same way as Truvada. It is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor which actively undergoes intracellular metabolism where tenofovir alafenamide is first hydrolyzed to tenofovir-alanine, and converted into parent tenofovir.

The action of tenofovir (tenofovir diphosphate) as it enters the body is to inhibit the activity of virus reverse transcriptase, causing viral DNA chain termination. Once the virus’ active action is terminated, there is no more replication of the virus and the CD4 cell count begins to increase in number, restoring the body’s immune function.

Note that Descovy doesn’t cure HIV. It reduces its viral count in the T-cells and the more you consistently use this medication, the more the viral load count decreases.

Before and while taking DESCOVY for PrEP:

• You must be HIV-negative before you start and while taking DESCOVY for PrEP. You must get tested for HIV-1 immediately before and at least every 3 months while taking DESCOVY. If you think you were exposed to HIV-1, tell your healthcare provider right away. They may want to do more tests to confirm that you are still HIV-negative.
• Many HIV-1 tests can miss HIV-1 infection in a person who has recently become infected. Tell your healthcare provider if you had a flu-like illness within the last month before starting or while taking DESCOVY. Symptoms of new HIV-1 infection include tiredness, fever, joint or muscle aches, headache, sore throat, vomiting, diarrhea, rash, night sweats, and/or enlarged lymph nodes in the neck or groin.
• DESCOVY by itself is not a complete treatment for HIV-1. Do not take DESCOVY for PrEP unless you are confirmed to be HIV-1 negative.
• DESCOVY does not prevent other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Practice safer sex by using a latex or polyurethane condom to reduce the risk of getting STIs.
• To further help reduce your risk of getting HIV-1:
  • Do not miss any doses of DESCOVY. Missing doses may increase your risk of getting HIV-1.
  • Know your HIV status and the HIV status of your partners. If your partner is living with HIV, your risk of getting HIV is lower if your partner consistently takes HIV treatment every day.
  • Get tested for other STIs. Some STIs make it easier for HIV-1 to infect you.
  • Talk to your healthcare provider about all the ways to help reduce HIV risk.

DESCOVY can cause serious side effects:

• Worsening of hepatitis B (HBV) infection. Your healthcare provider will test you for HBV. If you have HBV and stop taking DESCOVY, your HBV may suddenly get worse. Do not stop taking DESCOVY without first talking to your healthcare provider, as they will need to check your health or give you HBV medicine.

Who should not take DESCOVY for PrEP?

Do not take DESCOVY for PrEP if you:

• Already have HIV-1 or if you do not know your HIV-1 status. If you have HIV-1, you need to take other medicines with DESCOVY to treat HIV-1. If you have HIV-1 and take only DESCOVY, your HIV-1 may become harder to treat now and in the future.

What are the other possible side effects of DESCOVY for PrEP?

Serious side effects of DESCOVY may also include:

• Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys before and during treatment with DESCOVY. If you develop kidney problems, your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking DESCOVY.
• Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.
• Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark “tea-colored” urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.

Common side effects in people taking DESCOVY for PrEP are diarrhea, nausea, headache, fatigue, and stomach pain. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that bother you or do not go away.

Want to know more?

This website, dedicated to everything related to PrEP will answer any questions you may have relating to PrEP. PREPFACTS

The post Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV Prevention appeared first on Medika Life.