HIV stands for Human immunodeficiency virus and is one of the deadliest diseases which affects millions of people worldwide. HIV is spread through bodily fluids including blood and semen. The disease has the power to destroy cells in the body of the host that are vital for the proper function of the immune system. With the immune system of the body not functioning properly, infections and other diseases become hard to fight off and the host gets weaker day by day.
Around 100,000 people in the United States alone are recorded to be living with the virus, according to HIV.org. HIV is the foundation to what is commonly known as AIDS. What’s more alarming about these statistics is the fact that a huge majority of people living with the virus have no idea about it. Once a person contracts HIV, there are not many telltale signs to indicate the transmission. The only way to determine that a person has HIV/AIDS is through HIV testing. While the disease does not have a cure, early diagnosis and safer behaviors are key to restricting transmission and improving the health of the patient.
Who Should Get Tested?
Perhaps the greatest hurdle in the way of people getting tested is the social stigma that is attached to the disease. Contracting HIV/AIDS is made to look like a crime and societal pressures force high-at-risk individuals to avoid being testing. Anonymous HIV testing is available for those who need it through services such as HIV test Singapore (see https://www.dtapclinic.com/hiv/anonymous-hiv-testing/). It should always be noted that anyone who indulges in risky behavior without using protection or any sort of prevention can contract the condition no matter their age, income, sex, or color.
Additionally, people that have unprotected sex and are/or have used shared injections or any other sort of medical equipment that might get in contact with bodily fluids are at a higher risk of contracting the virus. Anybody who even suspects that they might fall under this category should get tested immediately for HIV in order to avoid further transmission to other people.
As far as new HIV infections are concerned, it is reported that men who indulge in sexual activities with other men make up the biggest proportion of new infection in the US. African Americans are the largest proportion of new HIV infections according to ethnicity. What’s important is to keep in mind that anybody who indulges in risky behavior has the potential to contract the virus.
Prevention of HIV
The only prevention there is to the virus is being careful. Awareness about the disease and the risk factors associated with the practices that facilitate the condition needs to be more widespread. Among recent developments, there has been some advancement in the treatments available, which is encouraging.
To get tested, head over to HIV screening Singapore.
For more information on HIV, check out https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/whatishiv.html.