How can HIV transmission from injection drug use be prevented?
Special Services Division
Questions and Answers about HIV/AIDS
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How can HIV transmission from injection drug use be prevented? |
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Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the virus that causes AIDS. It attacks the human immune system. Over time (and without effective treatment), HIV gradually destroys the body's defenses against disease, leaving it vulnerable to many infections and cancers that would not normally develop in healthy people.
Even without treatment, some people with HIV infection have no symptoms at all, some have mild health problems, while others have severe health problems associated with AIDS.
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a late stage of HIV infection. By the time a diagnosis of AIDS is made, HIV will already have seriously damaged the body's immune system. Often, a person with an AIDS diagnosis will already have had a life-threatening infection or cancer.
Before the use of effective treatment, it commonly took 10 years or more from the time of initial HIV infection to a diagnosis of AIDS; and, on average, it would take another two to four years before death. However, new treatments are radically slowing the destruction of the immune system caused by HIV and lengthening life expectancy. Some people with HIV infection may never developed AIDS.
HIV is transmitted when infected blood, semen, vaginal fluids, or breast milk enter another person's body. This most often occurs during unprotected sex or during injection drug use (when needles or other drug paraphernalia (cottons or cookers) are shared). Anyone who is infected with HIV can transmit it, whether or not they appear sick, have an AIDS diagnosis, or are taking effective treatment for their infection. Infected women who become pregnant can transmit HIV to their newborns and are much more likely to do so if they are not treated effectively.
HIV is spread in the following ways:
HIV is rarely transmitted in the following ways:
HIV is not transmitted by:
Anyone can become infected with HIV. In the United States, men who have sex with other men and people who use needles to inject illicit drugs are at the highest risk of HIV infection. Female partners of injection drug users and bisexual men account for a growing number of reported AIDS cases in the United States. African-Americans and Latinos in Texas, as in the rest of the United States, comprise a disproportionate share of the state's cases of HIV and AIDS.
About 750,000 persons are believed to be infected with HIV in the United States with Texas having the 4th largest infected population in the country.
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How can HIV transmission from injection drug use be prevented? |
The surest way to completely avoid HIV infection from injection drug use is to abstain. The next surest way is to use a brand new syringe every time you inject. If brand new syringes are not available, properly bleaching a used syringe may be an effective method of reducing HIV transmission.
In addition to needles, sharing cookers, cottons, other parts of the syringe (e.g., the barrel and plunger), or water used for mixing/bleaching also can transmit HIV. To avoid infection, these items must not be shared.
Drugs -- injected or not -- can also increase a person's risk for HIV by impairing judgement, decision-making ability, and/or by enhancing sexual drive. Studies have shown that - even when drunk or high - people can successfully use condoms and clean needles/syringes. Nonetheless, people who are drunk or high often take more risks than if they were sober.
The surest way to avoid the sexual transmission of HIV infection is to abstain from sexual activity with other people. The next surest way is to have sex with only one partner who is known to be uninfected with HIV AND who only has sex with you.
For those with a new sex partner, abstain or use condoms for at least 3 months and then get tested for HIV antibodies. If you and your partner are both HIV negative and each of you are not engaging in other risk behaviors (e.g., sharing needles or having other sex partners), then you won't have to worry about HIV infection.
For someone with an HIV positive partner, a partner who does not know their HIV status, or multiple sexual partners, touching, dry kissing, body rubbing, and mutual masturbation are the safest sexual activities. For any penetrative sex acts such as vaginal, anal, or oral sex, condoms are highly effective at reducing the risk of HIV transmission especially when used consistently and correctly.
There are several types of HIV antibody tests used today. All are highly accurate at detecting HIV antibodies, specific proteins made in response to an HIV infection. After infection with HIV, however, it can take up to 3 months for HIV antibodies to develop.
A negative HIV antibody test result means that a person does not have detectable HIV antibodies at the time of the test. Since it can take up to 3 months after HIV infection for antibodies to develop, a negative test result is reliable only if the person has not had any sexual or needle-sharing risk behavior during the 3 months prior to testing. Some people with recent risk behavior will test HIV antibody negative, yet may have actually been infected during the previous 3 months; these people will also likely be highly infectious and may easily transmit HIV to their sex and needle-sharing partners. Finally, a negative test result does not mean that a person is safe from future HIV infection. People who test HIV antibody negative are urged to continue to follow HIV prevention guidelines to avoid becoming infected. And people who continue risk behaviors should retest at least every 6 months.
A positive HIV antibody test result means that HIV antibodies are present and that the person has HIV infection. It does not mean the person has AIDS, although many HIV-positive people may develop AIDS after years of infection with HIV. Anyone who tests HIV-positive can transmit the virus to others, regardless of how long they have been infected, whether they have AIDS or other symptoms, or whether their HIV infection is being treated effectively. It is extremely important that HIV-positive people follow HIV prevention guidelines, not only to protect their partners from getting HIV infection, but also to protect themselves from infection with other germs that could cause HIV/AIDS-related disease.
People at increased risk of HIV infection should NEVER donate blood, plasma, or other organs, or go to such facilities to be tested. Special Services offers HIV antibody testing and counseling to all people at risk for infection. All test results are confidential; anonymous testing is also available. HIV antibody testing is also available at a variety of other sites, and HIV home test kits are available in local pharmacies. For risk assessment and questions about our testing sites, call us at (361) 572-0125 or 1-800-879-1448.
No, condoms are not 100% effective at preventing HIV transmission; however, when used correctly and consistently, condoms are highly effective and reliable in reducing the risk of transmitting and acquiring HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). The surest ways to avoid the sexual transmission of HIV (and other STDs) is:
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to abstain from sex, or |
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to have sex with only one partner known be uninfected. The next surest way is to use condoms consistently and correctly during all penetrative sexual acts. When condoms do fail, it is most often because of improper and/or inconsistent use. |
The following these basic rules will further reduce the small chance of condom failure:
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Use latex (rubber) or polyurethane condoms. These are preferable to "natural skin" condoms, which may have tiny holes through which HIV may pass. |
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Choose a condom that fits. Condoms come in different sizes, shapes, and styles. Experiment with different condoms and practice putting them on before intercourse. Also practice your negotiating skills by talking with a close friend about your desire and intention to use condoms. |
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Open and handle condoms carefully. Never use a condom in a damaged package or one that is past its expiration date. Do not store condoms in hot or sunny places (for example, in a wallet or by a window). |
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Use plenty of water-based lubricant to reduce the friction that can cause breakage. Never use oil-based lubricants like Vaseline, hand cream, Crisco, or mineral oil which can rapidly break down latex and allow the virus to pass through. Water-based lubricants include K-Y Jelly, Slippery Stuff, Astroglide, and most contraceptive jellies. |
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Put the condom on after erection but before insertion. Leave some room at the tip for the discharged semen (some condoms have a reservoir tip for this). It is important to pinch the tip as you roll it down onto the penis to be sure that there are no air bubbles that could pop under pressure. If the penis is uncircumcised, pull back the foreskin before unrolling the condom all the way down to the base of the penis. |
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After intercourse, withdraw the penis while still erect, holding the base of the condom to prevent it from slipping off or spilling semen. Remove the condom and wash the penis with soap and water. |
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Use a condom only once and dispose of it in the garbage; do not flush condoms down the toilet. Never reuse a condom. |
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Use a condom EVERY TIME during sex when transmission or acquisition of HIV is possible. |
Approximately 50-90% of people with new HIV infections have mild to severe "flu-like" symptoms approximately 2 weeks to 3 months after the HIV exposure. Some people do not have any symptoms. In general, symptoms are not a reliable indicator of HIV infection. Many people with HIV infection do not experience symptoms for many years after infection. Likewise, many people with the symptoms listed below do not have HIV infection. An HIV antibody test taken 3 months after a potential exposure can tell you if infection has occurred.
Many of the symptoms of HIV infection are the same as for other, less serious illnesses.
People who may have been exposed to HIV should see a doctor promptly if the following symptoms occur within 3 months of the exposure:
No, but, in recent years, medical providers have become much better at identifying, monitoring, and treating HIV infection and AIDS. In particular, drugs known as protease inhibitors -- when used in combination with other antiretroviral drugs -- may dramatically improve the health and quality of life for many people living with HIV/AIDS.
While there is not currently a cure or vaccine for HIV/AIDS, there are many things that people infected with HIV can do to keep themselves healthy and to live longer. The first step for anyone who has HIV infection is to see a knowledgeable medical provider. This provider will be able to assess and monitor the infection, and, if appropriate, prescribe antiretroviral medicines.
The benefits of early diagnosis and treatment of HIV/AIDS are important reasons for people at risk for HIV infection to learn their HIV antibody status through testing. For people not infected, but at increased risk of infection, it is important to get tested regularly (every 3-6 months) for HIV antibodies. One purpose of regular testing is to assure that those who are newly infected with HIV may be assessed and treated at the earliest possible opportunity. Another purpose is to minimize the chance of HIV transmission when people are newly infected and highly infectious.
Although medical care and drugs are expensive, programs exist to ensure that people with HIV infection and AIDS can get assessment and treatment.
For further information and referral to community resources, contact::