HIV & You
Counselling Guidelines for HIV Testing
 

What the patient should know about HIV infection

  • HIV causes a progressive disease, with severe health problems usually occurring 10 to 14 years after infection.
  • A positive serologic test for HIV means that a person has been infected and is assumed to be capable of transmitting the virus, regardless of whether he or she shows symptoms.
  • HIV is found in blood, semen, pre-ejaculatory and vaginal fluids, and breast milk.
  • HIV can be transmitted by sexual intercourse, sharing of equipment used for injecting drugs, in unscreened blood and from an HIV-positive mother to her child during pregnancy, childbirth or breast-feeding.
  • Serologic testing is the only effective way for a person to determine whether he or she has acquired HIV.
  • HIV exposure and transmission can be avoided or minimized by specific actions.

      Return to originating document

    • Go to the Counselling Guidelines Menu

    Go to the Testing For HIV Menu

    Go to the HIVpositive.us Main Menu

















    39