World AIDS Day | No need to be afraid of AIDS, have you ever believed these 5 rumors?

December 1, 2022 is the 35th World AIDS Day. The United Nations has set this year's theme as "Equalize", while China's theme is "Fighting AIDS Together, Sharing Health".

In most people's minds, AIDS may be filled with fear and contempt, but in fact, there are many misunderstandings in our cognition.

We should treat AIDS patients equally, rather than blindly fearing them. What is more terrible than the disease is prejudice and discrimination.

Let’s take a look at these 5 rumors about AIDS. Do you believe them?

What exactly is AIDS?

AIDS, or acquired immune syndrome , is a syndrome in which humans become immune deficient after being infected with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), and develop a series of opportunistic infections and tumors, which can lead to death in severe cases.

Although AIDS is a very serious disease, through antiviral treatment, AIDS has been changed from a fatal disease to a controllable chronic infectious disease.

At the 2022 Zhejiang Province "World AIDS Day" publicity theme event held today, the Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention stated:

In the past five years, the HIV/AIDS epidemic in our province has been relatively stable, and is generally at a medium-to-low prevalence level in the country . Sexual transmission has become the main route of transmission. The proportion of infected people among middle-aged and elderly men and men who have sex with men (MSM) has been on the rise, and the risk factors affecting the spread of HIV/AIDS have become more diverse and complex.

Five myths about AIDS

1

Does being infected with HIV mean you have AIDS?

Being infected with HIV does not mean that the body will immediately develop into AIDS, because our body has a powerful defense system - the immune system.

From HIV infection to AIDS, the whole process is divided into three stages: acute stage, asymptomatic stage and AIDS stage . Patients in the acute stage and asymptomatic stage are called HIV infected people, and only patients who develop into AIDS stage are considered to have "acquired AIDS" . Patients in the asymptomatic stage generally live for 8-10 years, and if scientific and effective treatment is adopted, they may remain in the asymptomatic stage.

2

Can mosquito bites and daily contact spread AIDS?

Mosquitoes do not inject the blood they suck into another person, and HIV cannot survive in the mosquito's body.

Contact in daily life, such as sharing tableware, cups, towels, bedding, toilets, washbasins, office supplies, tables, chairs, benches, etc., will not spread AIDS.

3

AIDS patients cannot get married or have children?

Nowadays, with the development of science and technology, as long as AIDS patients can receive effective antiviral treatment, take medication in a standardized manner , and take timely intervention measures before or during pregnancy, the risk of infection can be controlled below 5%. In some cases, it can even be reduced to 1%. Moreover, the drugs have almost no effect on fetal development, so young patients can also give birth to healthy children.

4

Can blood on food spread AIDS?

There was once a rumor that "eating barbecue can spread AIDS", and later there was a rumor that "blood dripping from big plate chicken can spread AIDS". These are all false statements!

In fact, the HIV virus is very fragile outside the body (the body surface is also outside the body) and cannot reproduce, so it cannot infect people. In addition, HIV cannot be transmitted through the digestive system .

5

Will my privacy be leaked if I take an HIV test?

According to relevant national regulations, testing institutions must strictly keep confidential the personal information of the testers . Even if AIDS is confirmed, only the person concerned will be notified, and the work unit will not be informed, and no compulsory measures will be taken.

Finally, I hope everyone can protect their own life and health, treat AIDS patients correctly, and not blindly fear AIDS or discriminate against them!

Image source: Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention