The HIV/AIDS epidemic really began in 1981. It seemed as if it happened overnight because not many people were educated about it, how it spreads, or how to prevent it. Despite information taught in schools or found online, there are still a lot of people who don’t understand this virus...cue DaBaby’s unfortunate comments at the Rolling Loud festival in Miami in August of 2021. While expressing his opinion, he spoke from a place of misinformation and stigma; not only offending a lot of people who have died from HIV/AIDS but who live a full life with the virus. His remarks affected many of his fans, his peers in the entertainment industry, and ultimately caused him to be removed from quite a few planned concerts.

In honor of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, we wanted to share information on what HIV and AIDS is, how it spreads, and how to protect yourself and prevent the spread. Keep reading to learn more.

Let’s start with what HIV stands for and what it has to do with AIDS.

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It is a virus that attacks the body's immune system. If HIV is not treated, it can evolve to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). Learning the basics about HIV can keep you healthy and prevent HIV transmission. 

How does HIV spread?

Contact between broken skin, wounds, or mucous membranes and HIV-infected blood or blood-contaminated body fluids. Deep, open-mouth kissing if both partners have sores or bleeding gums and blood from the HIV-positive partner gets into the bloodstream of the HIV-negative partner. HIV is not spread through saliva.

Signs and Symptoms of HIV/AIDS

Within a few weeks of HIV infection, flu-like symptoms such as fever, sore throat, and fatigue, joint pain, headaches, and night sweats can occur. The disease is usually asymptomatic until it progresses to AIDS. AIDS symptoms include weight loss, fever or night sweats, fatigue, and recurrent infections.

How to prevent the spread

-Speak to your doctor immediately if you’re unsure or would like more information.

-Talk to your doctor about PrEP. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is daily medicine that can reduce your chance of getting HIV. If you are HIV-negative, you can use HIV prevention medicine known as pre-exposure prophylaxis(PrEP) or post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) to protect yourself. You can also use other HIV prevention/detection methods, below.

-Get tested after each partner. It doesn’t matter how long you have been with a person. If you did not get tested before them, get tested now. The biggest part of the battle is finding out in time so medical professionals can help.

-Stay educated. The worst thing anyone can do is stay ignorant or believe “it won’t happen to me” while continuing to share misinformation (and possible STD’s / STI’s) with others.

-Talk openly with your sexual partners. If you’re comfortable enough to have sex with them, both of you should be comfortable enough to talk about getting tested.

-Use protection. Other than healthy and hygienic sexual habits, protection (like condoms) can decrease the likelihood of you or your partner contracting HIV/AIDS.

Common Myths about HIV/AIDS:

MYTH: HIV/AIDS can be transferred by touch

FACT: HIV/AIDS is spread through HIV-infected blood or blood-contaminated body fluids (needles, wounds, sores, cuts, pregnancy, etc.)

MYTH: Mosquitoes spread HIV.

FACT: When bugs bite, they don't inject the blood of the person or animal they bit before you. Also, HIV lives for only a short time inside them.

MYTH: I'm straight and don't use IV drugs. I won't get HIV.

FACT: Most men get HIV through sexual contact with other men. But you can get the virus from heterosexual contact with an infected person, too: about 1 in 6 men and 3 in 4 women do. Women who have sex with women have the lowest risk of transmission.

MYTH: I could tell if I or my partner was HIV-positive.

FACT: You can have HIV without any symptoms for years. The only way for you or your partner to know if you're positive is to get tested. The long period of asymptomatic infection is why the CDC recommends that everyone between 18 and 64 be tested at least once as part of routine blood work.

MYTH: A person with a lot of sexual partners probably has HIV/AIDS.

FACT: It takes having sex with one person who is infected to contract this virus. HIV and AIDS don’t target those with more sexual partners over those with fewer.

MYTH: People with HIV/AIDS are dirty.

FACT: Hygiene doesn’t have much to do with it. HIV/AIDS are viruses that can attack the richest, cleanest, smartest, kindest, most honest people. Cleanliness, race, social class, and academic accomplishments are not deterrents or qualifiers for anyone to contract HIV/AIDS.

If you or someone you know is living with HIV/AIDS, please know that you are not alone. There are support systems and other resources available to you. Don’t suffer in silence or loneliness.

For more information, please talk with your doctor and visit: HIV.Gov.