HIV/AIDS: myths busted
Many people are afraid of HIV and for good reason. Don’t worry though: we are here to bust myths and leave you confident about your knowledge.
You can get HIV through hugging and kissing
No, you can’t. Blood, vaginal, rectal, seminal fluids as well as breast milk are the only means of HIV transmission. While spit does contain the virus, you would need bucket loads of spit to risk infection. And we sincerely hope that you never experience kissing someone with that much spit involved!
You should avoid kissing someone who has bleeding wounds in their mouths though, especially if you do, too. Because then there is a risk of infection.
You can get HIV from sharing glasses and cutlery
Nope. Just as with kissing, this is impossible. Even in the unlikely case of encountering traces of blood on a fork you are using, you aren’t at risk. The virus can’t survive outside the body for long.
Mosquitoes can give you HIV
Wrong. Mosquitoes can give you a bunch of nasty diseases, but not HIV. Because when an insect bites a person, it doesn’t inject its own or a previously bitten person’s blood into the next person it bites.
You can’t protect yourself from getting HIV
Yes, you can. Use condoms with all your partners, unless you are in a relationship with a faithful partner and you both get tested regularly. Or until you are in a relationship like that, you can decide not to have sex at all, to abstain. All this will help to keep you safe from HIV.
Read Also: HIV causes, symptoms, testing, & treatment
There is no need to use condoms if you are both infected
Even if you are both infected, you should still use condoms whenever you have sex. Otherwise, you can get re-infected or get infected with a different type of the virus. And that makes treatment more difficult and can reduce your life expectancy.
You get HIV from naughty behavior
No. People have had multiple sex partners, bought sex from sex workers and used drugs for a long time before the first HIV/AIDS cases were known.
Being HIV-positive doesn’t mean that you have done something bad. You can also get infected through a blood transfusion, at birth or by having sex with a partner who is HIV-positive.
If you’re HIV-positive, you can’t have children
Thanks to all the research and new developments within the HIV/AIDS field, it is now very possible for HIV-positive mothers and fathers to have healthy babies. It takes some careful planning and help from your healthcare provider. But if you follow the guidelines closely, your chances of having an HIV-negative baby are very high.
You can tell if somebody is HIV-positive
No, you can’t. Most people with HIV look perfectly healthy. And only once someone has gotten to the AIDS stage (usually eight to 10 years after getting infected), some signs and symptoms can be visible. But thanks to the great medications available today, even then a person might still look and feel healthy for many more years.
You can get rid of HIV by sleeping with certain people
Having unprotected sex with virgins, children, people with disabilities or large people will not cure you of HIV. So don’t believe the myths, and don’t even consider doing it!
Read ‘HIV/AIDS: Myths busted, part 2‘
Do you know any other myths about HIV/AIDS? Leave a comment below, or join our discussions on Facebook.
Tell us what you think
Recent Comments (48)
Okey I recently discovered
Okey I recently discovered that my husband is HIV he has never told me.we have a kid mi ad my kid ar both okey ad we still have unprotected sex.he doesn’t know that I have known plse advise.
Hi Anna,
Hi Anna,
how do you know he is HIV-positive? And have you and your kid both been tested?
You need to talk to him about this. This isn’t just about him, it’s about your health. And you need to protect yourself. You are lucky you haven’t been infected yet and you need to do everything to protect yourself from infections in the future.
true.thnks 4 the information
true.thnks 4 the information
You are most welcome, Sara!
You are most welcome, Sara!
thanks for that
thanks for that
You are welcome, Karoh.
You are welcome, Karoh.
I just saw hi taking some
I just saw hi taking some medicine. A he has a card of taking ARVS.,I have gone for test and am negative and he still cheating on me.should I leave him?
Hi Anna,
Hi Anna,
I think you need to think about your relationship. If your boyfriend doesn’t disclose his status, he is putting you at risk. Not to mention that he is still cheating. So there is the HIV on the one hand, and the infidelity. Is this what you want out of a relationship? Or do you think you deserve something better? Tale some time to think about it!
If a woman use a female
If a woman use a female condom to have sex with two men for one night n one of the man is a positive,do the second one at a risk of being infected, i.e she didnt remove the sperms of the first man as the second enters
Hi Bonny,
Hi Bonny,
well, firstly, condoms are to be used once only! That’s also true for female condoms.
To answer your question, yes, there could be a risk of infection.
Hve Been Following N Passing
Hve Been Following N Passing Through All Your Daily Post N Indeed,you Are Doing A Very Commendable Work.Congrats!
Hve Been Following N Passing
Hve Been Following N Passing Through All Your Daily Post N Indeed,you Are Doing A Very Commendable Work.Congrats!
Aww, thank you so much,
Aww, thank you so much, Michael!
Infact u ar doing agud job
Infact u ar doing agud job keep it up
Thanks, Mohaa.
Thanks, Mohaa.
Dats very nyc advice, thenx
Dats very nyc advice, thenx guys 4 it
You are most welcome!
You are most welcome!
Ua advces r so gud n hlpfl,
Ua advces r so gud n hlpfl, bigup!
Thank you, Mercy!
Thank you, Mercy!
U r doing a good job .big up!
U r doing a good job .big up!!
If i may ask ,can someone have intercourse with infected person ad not get da virus?
Hi Lucy,
Hi Lucy,
thank you so much!
Yes, that’s absolutely possible. There is a very good chance that someone can have sex with an infected person once, twice, even a hundred times, and not get infected. The lower the viral load, the less likely the virus is passed on. And men are less at risk than women, for example.
On the other hand, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be using condoms. Because infection might happen on the hundredth time- or the first time.
waah! dat a gd ideal
waah! dat a gd ideal
What’s a good idea, Abigail?
What’s a good idea, Abigail?
How do i tell my partner we
How do i tell my partner we go for test don’t u think she might think i don’t trust her?
Hi Robert,
Hi Robert,
tell her that you think everybody should get tested every once in a while. Which is true, and you can tell her you prefer doing it together.
thanks for the good job uve
thanks for the good job uve been doing. Does circumciation help in any way when it comes to infection of hiv? how s the risk f infection to the circumsised as compared to the ones who r not circumsised?
Hi Peter,
Hi Peter,
yes, circumcision can help lower the risk in areas where there are many HIV-positive people. However, it doesn’t mean you don’t need to protect yourself anymore- even circumcised men need to use condoms when having sex.
It can reduce the risk by about 60%.
How long does the HIV virus
How long does the HIV virus take to die after its out of the human body.
Hi Timothy,
Hi Timothy,
it really depends. Check this (outside) link for a comprehensive overview: http://www.aidsmap.com/Survival-outside-the-body/page/1321278/
Can u live with a man who is
Can u live with a man who is negative ad u r positive ad he know ur status is he not affected?
Hi Jane,
Hi Jane,
ideally, you should be using condoms every time you have sex.
But yes, even without a condom, you can have sex without getting him infected, especially if your viral load is low. It’s more difficult for men to get infected than for women. But, this doesn’t mean that you should have unprotected sex. That the risk is low doesn’t mean there is no risk- it may just take one time to get infected.
if you cen kiss vargina of a
if you cen kiss vargina of a hiv/aids woman,cen you be afected the virus?
Hi Maighty,
Hi Maighty,
there is a low risk of infection with oral sex, unless you have wounds around your lips or mouth.
It’s best to use a dental dam to prevent infection though.
for how long can one live
for how long can one live with hiv? r we expecting any medication before 2030?
Hey Judy,
Hey Judy,
there are medications already. They don’t heal, but can prolong your life for many, many years.
Once a person has progressed from HIV to Aids (about 8-10 years), without ARVs, people might live 18 to 24 months. With ARVs and taking good care of their body, they can have almost normal life expectancies.
if you have sex with an
if you have sex with an infected person for a very shot tym will u get infected
It is possible.
It is possible.
It would be best for you to take a test 6 weeks and 3 months after you had unprotected sex.
what are some of the early
what are some of the early signs of HIV/AIDS please list them down
Some people get flu-like
Some people get flu-like symptoms a few weeks after getting infected, others won’t.
Then, people might not have symptoms for 8 to 10 YEARS. Which is why it’s so important to get tested.
My sisy under going such
My sisy under going such prblm her husband infected her she confirms that afta his death she has two kids but thy ok how Wil I asist her i advice her to take arvs but she refused
Lulu,
Lulu,
do you know why she is refusing?
Dut Yach
Dut Yach
?
?
if your infected yu should
if your infected yu should avoid stigma as it can lead to more diseases
George,
George,
do you mean psychological issues?
ls it true dat wen some1 is
ls it true dat wen some1 is HIV positive & rgistered to ARvs he uses da medicines regulaly,morning-aafternoon & evening?
Yes, ARVs need to be taken
Yes, ARVs need to be taken every day. Any break can lead to a higher viral load, so it’s really important to take them regularly.
F f at a at your I can be I I
F f at a at your I can be I I can be in lp
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