  GENERAL
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
 AIDS
AND HIV TESTING FOR HEROIN ADDICTS
HEPATITIS
IN ADDICTS
TREATMENT
OF OPIATE DEPENDENCE
AIDS AND HIV TESTING
FOR HEROIN ADDICTS
What is AIDS?
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)
is a serious condition which reduces the
body’s ability to fight infection.
It is caused by a virus that is transmitted
by body fluids, (principally blood, semen,
vaginal secretion, and breast milk) of infected
people to those who are not. The virus is
the Human Immune-Deficiency Virus (HIV).
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How does one get infected with HIV?
The routes of transmission are principally
by intimate sexual contact and though exposure
to contaminated blood. Drug users frequently
become infected by using "dirty"
needles – ones that have already been
used and are contaminated with blood. Needle
sharing, especially with strangers and in
shooting galleries, is particularly dangerous.
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Infected men can pass the
infection on to both male and female sexual
partners because semen (ejaculation fluid)
contains the virus. Females can transmit
the infection to their sex partners, since
vaginal fluids can be infected. (Back)
What are symptoms of active AIDS?
The incubation period may be up
to 10 years or even longer. Early symptoms
include: weight loss, fever (especially
at night), enlarged lymph nodes, fatigue,
and lung infection. There is also a form
of skin cancer called Kaposi’s Sarcoma.
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Risk to intravenous drug users
Intravenous drug users who share needles
are at a very high risk of contracting HIV.
Intravenous drug users who test positive
for HIV may transmit the virus to their
sex partner or, if female, to their unborn
baby during pregnancy. (Back)
How to decrease the risk?
Don’t share needles.
Needles, toothbrushes, razors,
or other implements, which may be contaminated
with the virus, may transmit it to another
by even the slightest break in the skin.
Multiple sex partners increase your risk
of AIDS. (Back)
Asymptomatic addicts with a positive
HIV test.
The HIV blood test detects antibodies to
the virus which causes AIDS. It consists
of a screening test (ELISA) as well as confirmatory
test (Western Blot) which is done if the
screening test is positive. A positive test
indicates that a person has at some time
in their life been exposed to the HIV virus
and that their body produced antibodies
to the virus. A positive test does not mean
you have AIDS or that you will necessarily
get AIDS. It only means that you are infected
with the virus that causes AIDS.
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If my HIV test is positive, can i pass the
infection on to others?
Individuals with a positive HIV
test can transmit the infection to others
even if they are otherwise healthy. Furthermore,
they will remain infectious indefinitely.
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If my AIDS antibody test is positive, are
there any other tests I should get hat might
be useful?
Yes. An addict with a positive HIV test
should be tested for lymphocytes. If they
are low, it means that the body’s
immune system is being affected by the HIV
virus. (Back)
What about sex if my HIV test is positive?
It is possible to transmit HIV to others
even when the infected person is not ill.
Sexual intercourse, oral-genital contact,
and anal intercourse can transmit HIV. Condoms
provide some, but not total protection.
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If my test is positive, should I tell anyone?
Inform your sex partner or partners, and
share with them the information about HIV
that you have received. This is the law.
You must inform these persons of your positive
test. Tell your doctor and dentist. These
people may be exposed to your body fluids
and should know about your positive test.
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Possible danger signs of AIDS
- Unexplained fever, chills,
or night sweats, lasting two weeks or
more.
- Unexplained weight loss
of 10 pounds or more.
- White patches in your mouth.
- Dry cough, unrelated to
smoking, lasting two weeks or more.
- Severe shortness of breath.
- Swollen or tender lymph
glands in the neck, jaw, armpit, or groin.
- Any unusual bruise, bump,
swelling, or skin discoloration, including
skin rashes,
lasting two weeks or more.
- Mental confusion.
The sooner you bring symptoms
to our clinic’s attention, the better
off you will be. (Back)
What if my HIV test is positive and I am
or want to become pregnant?
If you are now pregnant, discuss
your positive results with your doctor IMMEDIATELY.
It is possible for a mother who has HIV
infection to transmit the virus to her unborn
infant. A woman who has a positive HIV test
or who has a sexual partner with a positive
test, should postpone pregnancy. (Back)
What else is recommended for those testing
positive?
Even though your test for HIV antibody
is positive, you do not need to change your
life beyond the suggestions already listed.
The following additional points may be helpful:
Contact with family and friends can be normal;
hugging and kissing does not spread the
virus. Contact with other people at work
or in the community should be as usual.
Special precautions and restrictions are
not usually necessary. There is no need
to quit one’s job or schooling or
to avoid social contacts. (Back)
Methadone: A public health measure
Shared injections may spread AIDS
and Hepatitis B or C. If an injector can’t
stop with will-power, counseling, or self-help,
the drug user should seek medical treatment
including methadone maintenance. The most
successful treatment for intractable heroin
addicts has been methadone maintenance.
Studies clearly show that addicts who remain
in methadone treatment have a lower HIV
rate. (Back)
How to use bleach?
We highly recommend that addicts
cease all needle use by entering methadone
or other treatment. If needles are used,
they should by bleached properly. Rinse
three times with full-strength bleach. Fill
the syringe with bleach and shake and tap
the syringe for 30 seconds. Then rinse three
times with water. Never share needles with
other people for any reason, including tattooing
and injecting hormones for body-building.
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