There are many myths and misconceptions float around about how HIV is transmitted . It is necessary to get a realism check on some of these most bizarre misconceptions about HIV transmission . You should be aware that there are in reality only a few ways that you’re able to get infected by the HIV virus . However , it seems that when it comes to HIV myths and misconceptions , there is a whole range of them floating around , with mass actually believe them . The fact is that most of these myth circulate on HIV are old , outdated , and misinformed . The only purpose these HIV - related myths serve is to keep reinforcing an HIV - have-to doe with stigma and causing a long lasting and damaging impact on citizenry ’s lives . Today we make an attempt to expose some of these myths about HIV transmission .
What is HIV?
Known commonly as its foreshorten form HIV , the Human Immunodeficiency Virus , is a virus that attacks the immune organization and make win immunodeficiency syndrome ( AIDS ) . If leave alone untreated , then a diagnosing of a recent - stage HIV infection can leaven to be calamitous and it will also severely weaken the resistant organization . It is potential for a somebody infected with the HIV virus to channel it to another under specific conditions . However , as many people believe , shaking mitt or bosom a HIV - infect person is not going to spread the HIV infection . It is important that we realize the facts about HIV rather than resorting to believing any myth we take heed about HIV transmission . This will not only foreclose the transmission of HIV , but also stop the spread of misinformation .
Let us expose some of the common myth associated with HIV contagion and understand the facts about HIV .
HIV Transmission Myth 1: You can Contract HIV just by being around HIV-Positive Individuals
Fact : This is plainly a myth . you’re able to not become infected by the HIV computer virus but by being around hoi polloi who are HIV - confirming . you’re able to only sign up HIV if you total in link with infected body fluid such as blood , vaginal fluid , semen , or even breast Milk River . Then also , this infected body fluid pauperization to make out in lineal tangency with a mucose membrane such as the mouth , vagina , anus , etc . , or with damaged tissue . you’re able to also sign on the virus if it is straight injected into your bloodstream . Kissing , caressing , sharing solid food or drink , sneeze or coughing , pot seats , affecting or insect bites are not going to transmit the HIV virus .
HIV Transmission Myth 2: Going to the Cinema and Coming out with HIV
Fact : During the nineties , this was a prevalent myth that unknown were leave discarded acerate leaf inside your movie house chairwoman or even on gas pump handles to taint retiring people with the HIV virus . In fact , there was a unwashed chronicle circularise that a little girl got an unexpected needle marijuana cigarette injury while reaching underneath her cinema stern for picking up popcorn . The fact is that there is decidedly a risk of HIV transmitting between citizenry who are sharing needle for drug consumption , but you really can not abbreviate HIV from a discarded needle . There has never been even a single recorded caseful of this happening . If you are , nevertheless , come to that you may welcome a needlestick injury , then getting yourself turn back for hepatitis B and C is a good approximation to make you feel relaxed .
HIV Transmission Myth 3: HIV can be Cured
Fact : As of today , there is no cure for HIV , and inquiry keep to be ongoing in this subject field . However , it is potential to operate the symptoms of HIV ; and with intervention , HIV - positively charged individuals will be able-bodied to verify the spread of the virus and know a retentive and healthy life . It is also potential for HIV - positively charged soul to reduce the amount of HIV in their trunk to almost insensible levels with the use of appropriate medication and intervention . Even though the degree becomes insensible , it is significant to understand that HIV has not gone away and still remains present in the system . Till engagement , there has been only one case of Timothy Brown , who was seemingly ‘ cured ’ of HIV , but experts infer little about this case and the outcome have not been replicated in any further study .
HIV Transmission Myth 4: Transmission of HIV through Fruits
Fact : There are many pictures showing carmine - pigment fruit such as bananas or orange circulating on the internet . These pictures monish you not to consume these fruit as they are purportedly inject with the HIV virus . There have been similar rumors with ketchup , pineapples , and even pizza hold toppings of bodily fluids . To clear thing up , it is simply impossible to get HIV from any kind of food for thought , be it a veggie or a yield . The fact is that even if HIV contaminated blood gets into the food for thought that you are go to eat , the virus is unable to survive for this retentive outside of a human soundbox in decree to become communicable . So remain to have those banana and oranges without a fear of contracting HIV .
HIV Transmission Myth 5: HIV only affects Homosexuals
Fact : The trueness is that the HIV virus does not discriminate against sexual orientation , airstream , gender , age , course of instruction , or any other element . This myth is free-base on the fact that in the 1980s , the epidemic of HIV was particularly center on homosexual men , and even today , statistics show that homosexual or bisexual men are still impacted by the virus at rate gamy than heterosexual individuals . However , heterosexual womanhood today constitute one of the fastest grow charge per unit of HIV infection in the United States . Therefore , to blindly believe that HIV only affects homosexual men is to brush off the existent statistics of the disease and also put others at danger .
HIV Transmission Myth 6: Girl goes to get Hair Salon, Comes back with HIV
There was a rumour in the United States in 2015 that a girl based in Georgia contracted HIV at her hair beauty parlour as the needle that were used to fix the tomentum weave to her scalp were dirty and septic . Reports said that she was name to be HIV - positive a week after going to the hair beauty parlor , amidst claims of never having engage in intimate intercourse or using intravenous drugs . The story was later dismissed as a employment of fiction . It is worth noting , though , that HIV transmission through acerate leaf stick injuries is super rare and probably not possible also . It is also incorrect to assume that someone can be diagnosed within just one week after pic to the HIV virus . It choose anywhere between two week to three months to be detected with an HIV infection after its transmission .
HIV Transmission Myth 7: Colas can give you HIV
Fact : Similar to the myth mentioned above , there was also a hearsay that a actor from Pepsi had added his HIV contaminated parentage into the products , and multitude were advise not to pledge any products from Pepsi . This rumor go around in an SMS content and was also falsely linked to being station from the United Kingdom ’s Metropolitan Police in 2017 . In fact , since 2004 , a form of this message has been circulating on the cyberspace and it is incredibly damaging to any company ’s image to have such misleading facts give-up the ghost around . Truth is that even if bloodline is add to the drink cans , HIV does not survive for long outside of the human body and therefore , it is not possible to constrict the virus in such a personal manner .
HIV Transmission Myth 8: You are going to die if you have HIV
Fact : This is also solely a myth . When the epidemic of HIV was first diagnosed in the 1980 ’s very little was known about the computer virus , how it works , how it gets transmitted , and of line how to treat it . Due to this Brobdingnagian lack of knowledge and the brand associated with HIV / AIDS , many citizenry who were diagnosed eventually ended up die . New inquiry has now show that people who tested electropositive for HIV can go on to know long and levelheaded life . Doctors are now aware of how the HIV virus functions and there are much good discussion usable for treat the symptom of HIV . In fact , many HIV - overconfident soul only need to take one pill a day to deal their precondition . This HIV myth all the more signal how authoritative it is for everyone to be cognizant of the facts of HIV , thus help to terminate the societal stigma that is still link up to HIV / AIDS even in today ’s age .
HIV Transmission Myth 9: Having many Sexual Partners and Drug Use is the only way to Contract HIV
Fact : Again a myth . It is dependable that unprotected sex and intravenous drug function are two vernacular forms of HIV transmitting , but there is more to the equation and it is not as mere as it appears . This HIV myth indicates that every person who is HIV - positive is either loose or addicted to drugs . It also inculpate that HIV is a sorting of a punishment for such sort of behavior . Reality is that keep the facing pages of HIV is not limited to just promoting abstinence or desist from drug use . patrol behavior , stigma , and preventing right education about drug use and safe sex activity is detrimental to the HIV bar efforts . Due to the lack of proper teaching on HIV transmission , nearly 1 in 7 citizenry having HIV remain unaware about how they contracted the computer virus . Therefore , further knowledge about good sexuality and drug use is the motive of the hour , peculiarly in teenagers and immature grownup .
HIV Transmission Myth 10: Mosquitoes Spread HIV
Fact : It is but not possible to get HIV from mosquitoes or for that matter , any worm . When an insect , mosquito , for object lesson , burn you and suck your origin , it does not shoot the blood of the last person it had bitten back into your bloodstream . Therefore , it is simply unsufferable to get infect with HIV in this manner and this modal value of transmission of HIV is a ridiculous myth .
Conclusion
When HIV first emerged as a life - threatening status , it was assumed to be tantamount to get a death sentence that carry a social stigma . With the advances in medical science , research worker have done extensive studies on HIV transmittance and have also developed high - tone discussion that now allow HIV - positivist soul to stay have a longsighted and productive lifetime . These treatments also have been successful in much carry off the risk of HIV transmission system during sexual intercourse . Improved HIV education and debunking of myths relate to HIV transmission system are last to go a long way in ending the societal mark still attached with people having HIV / ADIS .
Also show :
