Getting Back to Basics: Myths and Facts About HIV

HIV myths

One in a series about the Black AIDS Institute's Brown Bag Lunch Webinars.

Misinformation can throw a damper on any HIV prevention or treatment strategy. A Brown Bag Lunch Webinar held by the Black AIDS Institute in April 2017 sought to cut down on misinformation while ensuring that as many people as possible understand basic facts about HIV.

The webinar, titled "HIV/AIDS: The Basics," looked at six common myths about HIV and AIDS and whether those myths are, in fact, true or false. The session was led by Amber Wilburn, Ph.D., a health educator with the County of Los Angeles Department of Public Health Division of HIV and STD Programs.

As recent world events show, fake news can have disastrous effects. Here are the six common beliefs Dr. Wilburn showcased, whether they are true or false, and what you need to know about them.

1. True or false? HIV is the same as AIDS.

False. HIV is a virus, while AIDS is a syndrome. HIV is diagnosed through the presence of HIV antibodies in blood or saliva. However, AIDS is diagnosed by monitoring the body's T cell or CD4 count. T cells, also known as CD4 cells, are a type of white blood cell that helps to protect you from infection. An AIDS diagnosis will be made if a person has a T cell or CD4 count of 200 or less. An AIDS diagnosis may also be made if a person is HIV positive and has an opportunistic infection, such as cryptococcal meningitis, a type of pneumonia called PCP and certain types of cancer.

Bottom line: HIV can lead to AIDS, but it doesn't have to. With proper treatment, an HIV diagnosis can remain HIV.

2. True or false? HIV affects only gay men and drug users.

False. If people don't believe they are at risk of acquiring HIV, they are less likely to take preventive measures. While it's true that Black men who have sex with men account for the most new diagnoses in the United States, Black heterosexual men and Black heterosexual women are particularly at risk.

3. True or false? Once a person is diagnosed with HIV, he or she will die soon.

False. Years ago, an HIV diagnosis may have been a death sentence, but that is far from the case today. HIV progresses in stages. The first stage, the acute HIV infection stage, typically occurs within two to four weeks after infection, and it may be characterized by flulike symptoms.

The second stage is the clinical latency stage, and this is a period of time in which the virus may produce no symptoms. During this stage, the virus is active but tends to reproduce very slowly. If a person gets into treatment, his or her HIV can be managed and the person can remain in the clinical latency stage for decades or his or her entire life.

The third stage of HIV infection is AIDS, which is a point at which your immune system is damaged and you're at a higher risk of opportunistic infections.

For those who get into treatment early, a normal life span is entirely possible.

4. True or false? Casual contact cannot put you at risk for HIV.

True. Not only is it important to know how HIV is transmitted, but it's helpful to know how it is not transmitted. You can't get HIV from someone by sharing eating utensils or swimming in the same pool they do. You also can't get HIV from someone by sitting on the same toilet or kissing.

HIV is transmitted only through blood, semen, pre-ejaculate fluid, vaginal secretions or breast milk. Dr. Wilburn discussed some of the behaviors that can transmit HIV, including anal, vaginal and oral sex without the use of a dental dam or condom; injection drug use; piercing and tattooing; and breastfeeding.

5. True or false? Having another STD puts a person at greater risk of contracting HIV.

True. Dr. Wilburn explained that some sexually transmitted diseases cause breaks in the skin that can provide an entryway for HIV. Studies also show that men who have the virus and another STD have more HIV in their semen, so they are more infectious, making them more likely to transmit HIV to others.

6. True or false? HIV testing is unnecessary because you would know if your lover had it.

False. You can have HIV and be asymptomatic. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 156,300 Americans don't know that they have HIV. The only way you can be sure that you are HIV negative is to be tested.

Education is key to ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Make sure you know the basics, and be ready to spread the word.

Tamara E. Holmes is a Washington, D.C.-based journalist who writes about health, wealth and personal growth.