#how can hiv be transmitted through kissing

[roshni99]

How can I reduce my risk of getting HIV? #HIV #healthtips #raphacure - YouTube

🌈⚡️ Empower Yourself: Reducing Your Risk of HIV Infection! #HIVAwareness Curious about ways to minimize your risk of HIV? Empower yourself with essential knowledge and take proactive steps to protect your health. Your well-being matters, and being informed can make a significant impact. 🌈⚡️ 🧡 Practice Safe Sex: Consistently and correctly use condoms or dental dams during sexual activity, especially with new or unknown partners. This greatly reduces the risk of HIV transmission. 🚫 Avoid Sharing Needles: If you use injectable drugs, never share needles, syringes, or any equipment. Use clean, sterile supplies to reduce the risk of HIV and other infections. 💉 Consider PrEP: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a medication taken daily by individuals at high risk of HIV. Consult a healthcare provider to determine if PrEP is right for you.

💪 Maintain Good Health: A healthy immune system can help protect you. Eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, manage stress, and get sufficient sleep. 🌡️ Regular Testing: Get tested for HIV regularly, especially if you engage in high-risk behaviors. Early detection allows for prompt treatment and reduces the risk of transmission. 👥 Know Your Partner's Status: Communicate openly with your sexual partners about their HIV status and get tested together. This helps build trust and make informed decisions. 🌈 Supportive Relationships: Cultivate a network of friends and partners who prioritize safe practices and open communication about sexual health. 💬 Educate Yourself: Stay informed about HIV transmission, prevention methods, and the latest advancements in HIV awareness and care. 🙌 Community Resources: Utilize available resources, such as local health centers, NGOs, and online platforms, to access information, testing, and support. 🌆 Stay Informed: Stay connected with HIV-awareness campaigns, community initiatives, and reliable health sources to stay up-to-date on prevention strategies. Before watching the video, don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to our channel to receive many more tips and updates! For professional help and access to essential tools, download our mobile app: 📲 Android: [Link: http://bit.ly/3JACQOb] 🍏 Apple: [Link: https://apple.co/3I0QKbe] Explore more at https://www.raphacure.com/Virtual-Con... or write to wellness@raphacure.com. Remember, reducing your risk of HIV involves a combination of education, responsible choices, and proactive measures. Every step you take towards HIV prevention contributes to your overall well-being. 🗣️ Spread the Awareness, Promote Health! 🗣️ Share this valuable information with your circle to raise awareness about HIV prevention. Knowledge empowers you to protect yourself and support others in their health journey. Prioritize your health, prioritize informed choices. Stay connected for more health insights and awareness. #HIVAwareness#StayProtected#PreventHIVInfection#HealthEmpowerment#StayInformed#wellbeingmatters how can i protect my partner from getting hiv?,getting tested,does pulling out reduce hiv risk?,can i get hiv if my partner is on treatment,hiv testing,how can i protect my partners?,risk,how can hiv be transmitted through kissing,how can you get hiv,how can hiv be transmitted through,can you get hiv if your partner is on medication,can hiv be transmitted through urine,can you get hiv from just sticking it in,can i infect my partner with hiv if im on arvs?

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

hii sex witch! i had a question about STIS (which I'm sure you already responded, but I can't seem to find it). So, what exactly are they? And is it possible for two partners who have never been their entire life with other person to get them? Can you be born with STIS? Thanks for reading already and sorry if there's bad grammar, I'm not an English speaker ❤️

hi anon,

thank you for this question, this is one of my favorite things :)

sexually transmitted infections are types of viruses, bacteria, or parasites that can be transmitted between people through sexual contact, although not all of them are spread exclusively through sex - some can also pass through close skin to skin contact or any sharing of bodily fluids, such as sharing needles for intravenous drug use or breast milk.

for a rundown on different types of STIs - what they are, how they're spread, symptoms they cause - I strongly recommend this thorough Planned Parenthood resource.

like I said, not all STIs are only spread through sexual contact. one of the most common STIs in the world is herpes, which many people catch as children when they catch is from their parents kissing them. so, yes, it's completely possible for a person who has never had sex but has herpes to give it to a partner who does not. fortunately, herpes is a very mild virus to live with! like most STIs it's quite treatable; more on that here.

it's rare, but babies can catch STIs from their mother in utero or during delivery, or catch them during breastfeeding. this includes many STIs, including herpes (again), HPV, chlamydia, syphilis, gonorrhea, and HIV/AIDS.

[letters-to-lgbt-kids]

(TW: Sex - educational context, HIV prevention)

My dear lgbt+ kids,

After my last post about HIV, I received multiple asks like "I feel embarrassed to ask something so stupid but..." - and the pure fact that I got multiple of them already proves that not knowing something is no reason to be embarrassed!

Many people are not super confident in their HIV knowledge. Acknowledging that and seeking more info is a great thing. I decided to put all these questions in one post:

How do you even get HIV?

Certain body fluids can transmit HIV:

blood

semen (cum)

pre-seminal fluid (pre-cum)

rectal fluids

vaginal fluids

breast milk.

Most adults who get HIV get it through sex (vaginal or anal) or sharing needles (or other drug injection equipment). Getting it from oral sex is also possible but less common.

Parent-to-child transmission (birth, breastfeeding) is the most common way that children get HIV.

Can you get HIV from topping?

Yes. Both the top and the bottom can get HIV through penetrative sex (top means you are penetrating your partner, bottom means your partner is penetrating you).

During anal sex, the bottom has a higher risk. That's because HIV can enter the body through the rectum’s thin lining. But: HIV can also enter the body through the opening at the tip of the penis or the foreskin or small cuts/scratches/sores anywhere on the penis.

During vaginal sex, either partner can get HIV as well, through vaginal tissue, the cervix or the penis as described above.

Can you get HIV from kissing?

You can’t transmit HIV through saliva, so there would need to be blood (or another fluid of the ones named above) involved. That means you could theoretically get HIV from open-mouthed kissing if both partners have sores or bleeding gums - but this is very rare.

You can’t transmit HIV at all through closed-mouthed kissing.

Can you get HIV from a public toilet?

The only realistic risk of getting HIV from a public toilet is by having sex or sharing drug equipment in there!

HIV does not survive long outside the human body (like on the toilet seat or door handle) and it cannot reproduce outside a human host. Wash your hands, as there are other germs that do survive on surfaces, but don't worry about HIV.

Can you get HIV from getting a tattoo?

You theoretically could - if the equipment or ink has someone else’s blood in it. This is unlikely to happen unless the person doing your tattoo uses unsterilized needles.

If you get a tattoo or piercing, make sure that the person doing the procedure is properly licensed and uses only new or sterilized equipment.

Can you get HIV from masturbating?

No. The only possible way would be if there were bodily fluids from an infected person on your fingers or sex toys.

It's always a good idea to wash your hands first because there could be other germs/irritants on them - but if you are doing it all alone, there is no risk of HIV. If you are masturbating together with another person, try to avoid sharing toys. If you do share them, use a new condom for each partner.

Can you get HIV from drinking alcohol?

When we talk about transmission via drug use, we are talking about sharing needles or drug equipment - they may have someone else's blood on them.

Alcohol use doesn't involve needles, you can not directly get HIV from being drunk. But: being drunk (or high) can lead to risky behavior that sober you wouldn't participate in, such as unprotected sex! It's a good idea to be careful around alcohol.

Isn't there a cure for HIV by now?

No. Once you have HIV, you have it for life - but the good news are there is treatment available! Someone who is HIV-positive and starts receiving treatment early has a normal life expectancy.

Medicine can reduce the amount of HIV in the blood (this is called viral load). In fact, it can make the viral load so low that a test can’t detect it anymore - and if you have an undetectable viral load, you will not transmit HIV to others!

With all my love,

Your Tumblr Dad

[whats-amata-you]

Man it’s weird being trans. Like yeah I did always know, I did my googling waaaaaaay back in middle school and found the gender vs sex rabbit hole when I was like 11 on ye olde 2004 Wikipedia, I prayed for years for god to let me be some kind of intersex that just looks female so I wouldn’t get boobs or periods, I asked my Texan dad to call me “sir” instead of “ma’am” when I was maybe 7 and he did for a week before he realized I wasn’t going to get sick of it.

But I didn’t always KNOW. I grew up under this weird kind of rock made of autism and whiteness and being middle-class and non-denominational Christian, so I was brought up believing everyone was basically the same, and then there were The Weird Ones, but The Weird Ones were usually fine as long as they weren’t being “in your face” about things. I knew that there were men and there were women and there were intersex people, I knew what was expected of men and what was expected of women. But I didn’t know how the cishets ACTUALLY saw the queers. I didn’t know the consequences of being born in a female body but insisting on being a boy. I didn’t know what my transness would actually cost if I pushed too hard for it.

And no,I didn’t try, because I didn’t know it was an option, obviously. But I’d never seen trans people anywhere before, never heard of them outside that Wikipedia article, never saw them referenced in media (we only got PBS until I was 16 and by then I was disinterested in almost anything outside my hyperfixations). I heard about gay people, and how it was wrong to sleep with someone of the same sex, but it was the lukewarm distaste of casual homophobia that just “doesn’t want to see it.” The biggest cost I actually saw to queer people was just… people not wanting to see them kiss their partner. As an aroace kid, I didn’t understand why that would be a big deal for either side.

I’d only heard of HIV and AIDS in dry, clinical explanations in sex ed. “It’s a sexually transmitted virus so use a condom every time, it also spreads via needles so don’t do drugs. The virus works like this and destroys your immune system so even a cold can kill you. You cannot get it by breathing their air or touching them or using a toilet seat or whatever, it has to be bodily fluids and usually not saliva. It’s incurable and fatal.” In retrospect, I learned WAY more about HIV/AIDS than a lot of kids did back in the late 90s and early 2000s, so that’s a mark in favor of Washington state (or maybe just that particular school district). But I never, not even once, heard queer people of any type and AIDS mentioned in the same sentence. I never heard of “the AIDS crisis” or its impact on the queer community until after I graduated high school and met a queer or two on the internet.

My old mentor Orion would probably have been shocked and appalled. She must have lived through and seen so much that I never knew about up until the last couple years, actively chasing down this elusive thing called “queer history” that I’d never known existed until I created a tumblr account in 2017.

I’m an aroace gay gnc trans masc enby. I could fill an entire book just explaining all the different aspects to my own queerness that I’ve found over the years. Most of it is just stuff I found words for, not things I didn’t already know about myself. And I never, until 2017, had any clue what any of it actually means in the context of society, culture, or politics.

I dunno what to do with that. I’m gonna chew on it for a while longer.

[boricuacherry-blog]

Is It Possible to Get an STD from Kissing?

How STDs are spread

Small microorganisms (germs) can cause STDs. Some of these microorganisms can live in your saliva, or they can cause sores in your mouth. This makes it easier for them to spread between people when they kiss, especially during deep, open-mouthed kissing.

Some STI's cause no symptoms or only mild symptoms. But even with no symptoms, STI's can spread to others. Testing is the only way to be sure you have an STI.

Consider this: about 50% of men and 70% of women infected with Chlamydia, one of the most common STDs, have no symptoms at all. Zero.

The belief that you can tell if someone has an STD by symptoms alone is one of many myths responsible for today's surging STD rates. Yes, there are potential signs of STDs in males and females you should watch for (such as unusual sores, bad-smelling discharge, pain or burning when urinating, or bleeding between periods). However, you should never assume that lacking these symptoms means you're all clear.

These STD's include Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, HIV, Herpes, Trichomoniasis, HPV, and Hepatitis B.

This is why it's good to get tested with your partner before sexual contact (due to many stds that are asymptomatic).

Also, while most STI's are transmitted through blood, vaginal secretions and semen, there are some that can also be contracted via contact with saliva.

For example, herpes simplex virus (the most common cause of cold sores) can be transmitted via kissing as well as oral. Gonorrhea, and less commonly, Chlamydia, can also be spread via kissing and oral. Importantly, all of these organisms can cause asymptomatic infection, so they can spread before the person is aware they are infected.

[dr-milindkulkarni]

Understanding HIV Transmission: Myths vs. Facts

Introduction

HIV, or Human Immunodeficiency Virus, is a global health concern that has impacted millions of lives. Despite the progress in medical research and awareness campaigns, misconceptions about HIV transmission still persist. Dr. Milind Kulkarni, an expert in HIV & AIDS treatment in Pune, aims to debunk these common myths and provide accurate information on how HIV is truly transmitted. In this article, we'll explore the facts about HIV transmission to help you stay informed and protect yourself and your loved ones.

Myth No. 1: HIV Can Be Spread Through Casual Contact

One of the most persistent myths about HIV is that it can be transmitted through casual contact like shaking hands, hugging, or sharing utensils. The fact is that HIV is not spread through everyday social interactions. HIV is primarily transmitted through specific body fluids, including blood, semen, vaginal fluids, rectal fluids, and breast milk. It cannot survive for long outside the human body, making casual contact a safe practice.

Myth 2: Mosquitoes Can Transmit HIV

Another common misconception is that mosquitoes can transmit HIV. Thankfully, this is entirely false. HIV is a fragile virus that cannot survive within mosquitoes. It requires a specific environment, namely human body fluids, to remain infectious. You cannot contract HIV through mosquito bites, no matter where you live or travel.

Myth 3: Kissing Can Transmit HIV

Kissing is an intimate act that raises concerns for many people. However, it's essential to understand that HIV transmission through kissing is extremely unlikely, even if one partner is HIV-positive. Saliva contains enzymes that can inhibit the virus's ability to infect another person. While open-mouth kissing with an HIV-positive partner might carry a minimal risk if there are cuts or sores in both partners' mouths, the risk is still considered low.

Myth 4: Sharing Household Items Can Transmit HIV

Some people fear that using or sharing household items like towels, razors, or toothbrushes can lead to HIV transmission. Fortunately, this is not the case. HIV cannot survive outside the human body for extended periods. Even if traces of HIV-positive blood were on these items, the virus would quickly become inactive and unable to cause infection.

Myth 5: HIV Can Be Spread Through Saliva, Tears, and Sweat

HIV is not present in sufficient quantities in saliva, tears, or sweat to transmit the virus. These bodily fluids do not typically contain the high viral loads required for transmission. HIV is primarily found in blood, semen, vaginal fluids, rectal fluids, and breast milk.

Fact 1: HIV Transmission Occurs Through Specific Routes

To fully understand how HIV is transmitted, it's crucial to know the three main ways the virus can be spread:

Unprotected Sexual Contact: The most common mode of HIV transmission is through unprotected sexual intercourse with an HIV-positive person. It can be vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Using condoms correctly and consistently significantly reduces the risk of transmission.

Sharing Needles or Syringes: Sharing drug injection equipment, such as needles and syringes, with an HIV-positive person can expose individuals to the virus. This is one reason why harm reduction programs and needle exchange services are crucial in reducing HIV transmission among people who inject drugs.

HIV transmission from mother to kid: HIV can be transmitted from an HIV-positive woman to her child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding. However, with proper medical care and antiretroviral treatment during pregnancy and breastfeeding, the risk of transmission can be significantly reduced.

Fact 2: HIV Is Not Spread Through Casual Contact

Understanding that HIV is not transmitted through casual contact is essential for reducing stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV. Shaking hands, hugging, sharing food, using public restrooms, or swimming in pools with an HIV-positive person will not transmit the virus.

Fact 3: HIV Can Be Prevented

While HIV remains a serious health concern, it is preventable. Knowledge about safe practices and risk reduction strategies is crucial. Here are some ways to protect yourself and others:

Practice Safe Sex: Consistently using condoms during sexual activity can significantly reduce the risk of HIV transmission.

Get Tested: Knowing your HIV status is essential. Regular testing ensures early discovery and, if necessary, prompt treatment.

Use PrEP: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a preventive medication for individuals at high risk of HIV exposure.

Avoid Sharing Needles: If you inject drugs, use sterile needles and never share them with others.

Treatment as Prevention: People with HIV who are on antiretroviral treatment and have an undetectable viral load are unlikely to transmit the virus to their partners.

Conclusion

Understanding the facts about HIV transmission is crucial for dispelling myths and reducing stigma associated with the virus. It's essential to rely on accurate information from experts like Dr. Milind Kulkarni, an experienced HIV & AIDS doctor in Pune. By promoting accurate knowledge and practicing safe behaviors, we can work towards a future where HIV transmission is minimized, and those living with HIV receive the support and care they deserve. Remember that in the fight against HIV, information is power.

[mirandamckay]

HIV Mysteries: What Do We Know About This?

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a significant public health concern worldwide, with over 37 million individuals suffering from the disease, according to estimates by WHO by 2021. HIV remains a risky virus, despite the advances in the field of medical research. It infects the immune system, and gradually damages it. The virus is plagued by a myriad of falsehoods and myths that require to be dispelled. In this blog post, we will dive deep into the science behind the HIV virus, and learn the essential aspects one needs to know.

What exactly is HIV?

HIV is a virus which attacks and weakens the immune system of the host, making it difficult for the body's immune system to fight illnesses and infections effectively. The virus attacks the CD4 (T) cells that are crucial for the immune response. They eventually die. If the CD4 cell count in the body drops below a certain limit, it makes the person more vulnerable to disease and infection. When you expect to find out detailed information on HIV, you have to click over here at aids2010 website.

How does HIV spread?

HIV is transmitted via bodily fluids such as semen, blood, as well as vaginal fluids. The virus gets transmitted between people through unprotected sexual contact or sharing needles or Syringes that are infected with another or from mother to baby when pregnant, during childbirth or nursing, as well as via blood transfusions (rarely nowadays due to rigorous screening procedures).

HIV Signs

Initial signs of HIV can be like flu-like symptoms, but are hard to tell. The most common symptoms are fatigue, headaches, muscular discomfort, sore throat, and an increase in lymph glands. In the later stages, when the immune system has been severely affected, symptoms can range from weight loss, frequent diarrhea, dementia as well as opportunistic infections.

Prevention and Therapeutic Treatment

At present, there's no cure for HIV however, there are several treatment options to can help control the disease and prevent its progression. Antiretroviral treatment (ART) is the preferred treatment used to suppress the growth of HIV and boost the immune system's health. It consists of a mixture of medications that need to be taken regularly and correctly all through one's lifetime.

It is crucial to stay clear of HIV transmission by practicing secure sexual activity and using condoms. Beware of sharing syringes or needles. Opt for frequent HIV counselling and testing. Early detection and treatment is vital to prevent HIV progress while reducing complications as well as improving quality of life.

Myths and Misconceptions

HIV is often surrounded by incorrect myths and misconceptions, that can result in stigmatization and discrimination of people who suffer from HIV. A common misconception is that HIV can spread through casual contact like hugging, kissing and sharing food or mosquito bites. Yet, HIV cannot spread in these ways, and stigmatizing people living infected with HIV could affect their physical and mental health.

HIV Global Status

Despite numerous efforts to stop the spreading of HIV, HIV still remains an important health problem for the public across the globe. Around the world, 820,000 people are expected to die from AIDS related ailments by 2021. HIV is a threat to vulnerable populations like transgenders, men who have been in a relationship with males, sexworkers, and those who take drug. To stop HIV transmission, structural socioeconomic, and economic factors must be addressed.

Conclusions

HIV is a major public health issue in the world. Being aware of the major characteristics of this virus can help you prevent the spread of the virus and efficiently control the disease. Safe sex practices, frequent HIV screening, and prompt diagnosis and treatment is crucial in preventing HIV progression and improving the quality of life for people living with HIV. Debunking the myths and misinformation about HIV is crucial to reduce the stigmatization and discrimination faced by those who suffer from HIV. All of us must work together in order to eradicate HIV from our world and its effects.

[atlaspacificmedical]

Can Someone Get HIV Positive Accidentally?

For decades and still, people have been carrying the wrong perception of HIV. While some think sharing a toilet seat will transmit HIV, others think kissing would. But the fact is HIV transmission is totally misunderstood. So how does HIV actually transmit? Here is all you need to know. How is HIV Transmitted? Wondering if someone can accidentally get HIV positive? So how does it get transmitted? Before going to a doctor for HIV in Singapore, here are some basic information: 1. HIV gets transmitted through ● Vaginal/anal sex without using a condom. ● Sharing sex toys and drug injection supplies. ● Mother-to-child transmission while being pregnant ● Coming into contact with tainted blood. ● Through body fluids such as vaginal fluid, breast milk, anal mucus, blood, and semen. 2. HIV cannot be transmitted ● During activities such as hugging, kissing, or shaking hands. ● Sharing household items or spaces. ● Other broader social interactions. ● Sneezing or coughing. Now that you know which situations can lead to HIV, it completely depends on how you carry yourself regularly and when indulging in activities. Besides if you've any doubt, a wise decision would be to seek help from a doctor for HIV in Singapore. Can a woman be HIV positive? In general, both men and women can be HIV positive. Talking specifically about HIV-positive women, getting yeast infections. If you're one of them, opting for a doctor for yeast infection is the best decision as it can be difficult to get rid of it. A person becomes more vulnerable to developing a yeast infection and the infection may be more severe as their immune system deteriorates and their CD4 count falls below 350 cells. Best Tips to Prevent HIV Whether you've or you don't have the HIV virus, prevention is always the best cure. And to help you, here are some best tips to prevent HIV : ● Inform your partners that you may have been HIV-exposed so they can get tested as well. ● Every time you have sex, including oral sex, use a condom. It aids in preventing pregnancy, defends against other STDs, and physically stops the infection. However, keep in mind, condoms should only be used with water-based lubricants and not oil-based lubricants. ● Immediately be tested to see whether you are pregnant. If the test comes back positive, you can take medication to prevent spreading the virus to your unborn child. ● Also don't breastfeed if you're a new mother for at least three months or until your doctor certifies that you are HIV-free. Both the infection and your treatment might spread to your infant through breast milk. Seek Doctor's Attention Early! Neglecting HIV or its symptoms is the worst thing you can do to yourself. This is because later or sooner the infection will get worse and end up resulting in more serious problems. Whether you doubt having HIV or dealing with an infection like yeast, seeking help from a doctor for yeast infection at its early stages is the best option. However, make sure to seek help from a reputed doctor.

[justlabtest]

STDs Can Be Contracted in a Variety of Ways

Technically, it is a disease if the patient presents advanced symptoms. On the other hand, an “infection” refers to not having any symptoms at all. However, many experts have said that the term STI attracts less stigma and shame. 

An STI or sexually transmitted infection is indeed possible through non-penetrative sex. Before we get into explaining how an STI is caused, let’s look into the difference between a Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) and an STI.  

How can STD occur without penetrative sex? 

Although a sexually transmitted disease can further be confirmed through a full panel STD test, it is important to know that some infections do not present with symptoms. 

An infection can lay dormant in the body and you will remain asymptomatic. However, you can transmit the disease to someone else, even though you are not having symptoms. At the same time, while you cannot feel or see the signs, the infection can still harm your body. Also, you may experience the symptoms later, which you can detect through a full panel STD test. You can order your own lab tests from JustLabTest.com if you wish to know whether or not you are infected.  

STD, how they spread, and when should you get tested? 

It’s crucial to know what you may be up for when it comes to an STD and whether it is caused by bacteria, parasites, or viruses. 

Viruses - HPV, Genital Herpes and HIV 

Bacteria - Gonorrhea, Syphilis, and Chlamydia  

Parasites - Trichomoniasis   

The sexual activities that may cause an STI depend on where the infection resides in the body, such as: 

the mouth, lips, throat, or saliva 

blood or breast milk 

vaginal fluid, pre-ejaculation (pre-cum), semen, or anal secretions 

the internal anal canal, anal entrance, or perineum 

the vaginal canal, vulva, penis, or testicles  

This means that the following sexual acts may cause an STI: 

kissing 

oral-nipple stimulation 

oral sex (head and rimming) 

intercourse (anal and vaginal) 

hand sex (anal fingering, vaginal fingering, vulva stimulation, and hand jobs) 

any play involving menstrual blood, blood from another part of the body, or lactation  

Another important fact is that non-sexual activities can also transmit an STD if infected. 

platonic mouth kissing 

tattoo or piercing 

shared sex toys are unclean 

blood transfusion 

sharing needles 

breastfeeding  

giving birth if the mother is infected 

self-inoculation (needles, vibrators that may carry infectious pathogens) 

 The CDC or Center for Disease Control and Prevention has officially recommended that sexually active people get tested at least once a year to reduce the risk of transmission. Note that the incubation period of an STI may range anywhere from two days to 3 months. 

Therefore, after unprotected sex, you should ideally get tested two weeks later and then again after another two weeks to be sure.  

Source: https://www.justlabtest.com/stds-can-be-contracted-in-a-variety-of-ways/

[luna-the-moth]

Why Humanity Fall Into Ruin

TW: Teeth, pandemic, gore, pus, body horror, Coronavirus, politics, Trump. Part satire. Please read the TW, and don’t steal my work! Reblogs and likes are greatly appreciated. 

Seriously? Could 2020 get any worse??? First the Coronavirus pandemic, Trump was elected yet again, and now a new virus??? What the fuck universe, out of all viruses, you choose a teeth plague? 2020 was already bad enough, and to top off the flaming shit storm that's 2020, it turns out that the new Covid Vaccine made you more susceptible to the newest virus.

It's main symptom? Rotting all of your teeth until they fall out and making your gums bleed. First, people transmitted it by kissing. Soon afterwards, news spread that the new virus also spread by sexual reproduction. Then, touching another person's skin, and so forth. As it evolved, it got worse. Teeth spread on flesh, forming on eyebrows and lashes. Molars taking over nails. Rumors are, that the new virus takes over a person's reproductives systems as well.

One of your friends called earlier actually, all in a tizzy about her menstrual cycle. "It's horrifying! This is worse than gonorrhea or HIV! If I knew the new virus caused teeth coming out with my period blood, I would've been celibate for the rest of my life! I can feel the canines scraping the inside of my uterus* as it flows out! And you know what the worst part is?!?! There's no pain. It feels like small pebbles rubbing inside of me..."

After soothing her for a few moments, she hung up to leave for a gynecologist's appointment. How in the world was it so bad? Unfortunately, there are even worse things happening at the moment. Trump proposed a bill to unleash a nuclear missile on Mexico, because apparently, a wall wasn't enough for him. There was a chance nuclear war would occur.

Luckily, the only person you recently had been near was a hookup, quarantine was getting on your nerves, and what better way to relieve tension than sex?

You pathetic, horny, fool. They called you earlier, when you were comforting your friend. Something about a mistake? Eh, it's probably nothing....right? Both of you used a condoms and a form of birth control, so you probably didn't have an std. Pregnancy scare maybe?

Turning on the news, you listened intently as a well-renowned scientist announced that a new symptom was greasy, stiff hair. "It's like running each strand of your hair through hair gel!" He had stated. JFC, another symptom?

Now that you think of it...it's been a while since you've looked in the mirror. Quarantine messed you up and took a toll on your mental and physical health. You stopped combing your hair, taking care of your skin, cutting your hair, etc. Let's see how fucked up I look now! You thought with a falsely cheerful tone. Actually, now that you think about it, you did, feel some odd pain on your fingernails today. Plus your hair did feel a bit more.....solid today? It had an odd texture after all. Originally, you had assumed it was just greasy hair, but with the new virus....

On second thought, you might need to check for other symptoms...hard hair...painful nails...all trademark signs of the new virus. it's just a coincidence. It has to be a coincidence. Walking into your bathroom, you lightly touched the ends of your hair. Yelping quickly, you watched in shock and fright as a drop of blood emerged from your fingertip, making it's way down the side of your finger.

Fearfully rising your head towards the mirror, you looked at your reflection with horror as you saw the monster transform before you. The longer you stared, the faster the transformation took place. Needle-like eyebrows framed your eyes. Lips had pus leaking out of them. Rotten molars took the place of nostrils, and your eyes had a yellow film over them, but the worst part was...your skin had teeth. Rows and rows took over your skin like layers of armor.

How did you end up like this? Surely the virus couldn't act so quickly? Raising a hand to touch your skin, you felt nothing bur keratin. Hideous molars took the place of fingernails, gums taking the place of cuticles. What have you done? That wasn't even the worst part. As you screamed in disgust and fear, your tongue solidified into one, large, toenail. Fungi and grime covering it in a filthy layer of garbage. Slowly but surely, teeth, nail, and fungi took over your body. 

Oh how the horny have fallen.

[kathgilford13]

How Does One Transmit HIV? How Can One Prevent It?

WHAT IS HIV?

HIV is an infection that attacks the immune system, causing it to malfunction. If HIV is left untreated, it affects and kills CD4 cells, which are a form of immune cell known as T cells. As HIV destroys more CD4 cells, the body becomes more susceptible to innumerable diseases and cancers. 

HIV is spread from person to person by bodily fluids like:

sperm and blood 

fluids in the vaginal and rectal canals 

breast milk

The virus cannot be transmitted through air, water, or physical contact.

HIV TRANSMISSION: KNOW THE FACTS

HIV is transmitted from person to person in many ways,

transmission via vaginal or anal sex 

by exchanging needles, syringes, and other injection and other drug-related products

during pregnancy, labor, and delivery

during breastfeeding 

contact with HIV-positive people's blood, sperm, vaginal and rectal fluids, and breast milk.

HIV can theoretically be transmitted through a variety of routes, but this is relatively uncommon

oral sex (only if the person's gums are bleeding or there are open sores in the mouth)

being bitten by an HIV-positive person (only if the saliva is bloody or the person's mouth has open sores)

contact between open wounds, cuts, or mucous membranes and HIV-positive person's blood

HIV does NOT transfer through:

skin-to-skin contact

hugging, handshakes, and kisses

air or water

sharing food or drinks, including drinking fountains

Sweat, saliva, tears

sharing a toilet, towels, or bedding

mosquitoes or other insects

CAUSES OF HIV

HIV is similar to a virus that spread from African chimpanzees to humans. Scientists claim the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) spread from chimpanzees to humans when people ate virus-infected chimp meat. The virus transformed into what we now know as HIV until it entered the human population. This epidemic took place a long time back, in the 1920s.

TESTS USED TO DIAGNOSE HIV:

HIV can be diagnosed using several tests. Doctors and health providers determine the best test for each individual.

Antibody/Antigen tests:

he most popular tests are antibody/antigen tests. They can show positive results in as little as 18–45 days after a person contracts HIV. 

These tests scan for antibodies and antigens in the blood. Antibodies are proteins that the body generates in response to infection. The part of the virus that stimulates the immune system is called an antigen.

Antibody tests:

These tests do not require any preparation. These tests are conducted using blood tests or mouth swabs. Some tests may be conducted in a healthcare provider's office or clinic and provide results in 30 minutes or less.

Some antibody tests that can be performed at home include: 

OraQuick HIV Test is an HIV test that is quick and easy to use. In as little as 20 minutes, an oral swab gives us the results. 

Home Access HIV-1 Test System- A blood sample is sent to a licensed laboratory after the person pricks their finger. They have the option of remaining anonymous and receiving results on the next business day.

Nucleic acid test (NAT):

This costly test isn't used for routine screening. It's for people who show early signs of HIV infection or who have a recognized risk factor. This test searches for the virus itself rather than antibodies. 

HIV can be detected in the blood for anywhere between 5 and 21 days. An antibody test is typically performed in combination with or in confirmation of this test.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF HIV?

HIV enters the clinical latency stage after about a month. This period can last anywhere from a few years to several decades. 

During this time, some people may have no symptoms, while others may have mild or nonspecific symptoms. A nonspecific symptom is not associated with a particular illness or disorder.

These nonspecific symptoms may include:

headaches and other aches and pains

swollen lymph nodes

recurrent fevers

night sweats

fatigue

nausea

vomiting

diarrhea

weight loss

skin rashes

recurrent oral or vaginal yeast infections

pneumonia

shingles

HIV SYMPTOMS IN MEN: IS THERE A DIFFERENCE?

HIV symptoms vary from person to person, but men and women experience the same symptoms. 

If a person has been infected with HIV, they may have also been infected with other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). There are some of them: 

gonorrhoeic

chlamydia

syphilis

trichomoniasis

STI symptoms such as sores on the genitals can be more noticeable in men and those with a penis than in women. Men, on the other hand, may not seek medical attention as often as women.

Gay men and other men who have sex with men (referred to as "men who have sex with men" or "MSM"  are 27 times more likely than the general population to contract HIV.

To find out more about The Status of HIV Among Men Who Have Sex with Men click on this link.

HIV SYMPTOMS IN WOMEN: IS THERE A DIFFERENCE?

STIs are more common in HIV-positive men and women. Women and others who have a vaginal canal, on the other hand, maybe less likely than men to find tiny patches or other changes in their genitals. 

Furthermore, HIV-positive women are at a higher risk of:

recurrent yeast infections in the vaginal region 

bacterial vaginosis 

pelvic inflammatory disease (PID)

changes in the menstrual cycle

HPV is a human papillomavirus that can cause genital warts and cervical cancer in women.

Another risk for HIV-positive women is that the virus may be transferred to an infant during childbirth, which is unrelated to the virus's symptoms. Antiretroviral therapy, on the other hand, is considered healthy during pregnancy. 

HIV MEDICATIONS

To treat HIV, several antiretroviral therapy drugs have been approved. They try to stop HIV from multiplying and killing CD4 cells, which assist the immune system in generating an infection response.

This helps to reduce the risk of HIV-related complications as well as the spread of the virus to others. 

These antiretroviral drugs are divided into six categories

nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs)

non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs)

protease inhibitors

fusion inhibitors

CCR5 antagonists, also known as entry inhibitors

integrase strand transfer inhibitors

Despite the efforts of many researchers, there is currently no vaccine available to prevent HIV transmission. Certain precautions, on the other hand, will assist in the prevention of HIV transmission.

Safer Sex

HIV is most commonly transmitted by anal or vaginal sex without the use of a condom or other barrier form. This risk cannot be completely removed unless sex is completely avoided, but it can be significantly reduced by taking a few precautions. 

If you're worried about your HIV risk, you should:

Get an HIV test done. 

Other sexually transmitted diseases should be screened for (STIs). They should get treated if they test positive for one because getting an STI raises the risk of contracting HIV.

Condoms must be used. They should learn how to use condoms and use them whenever they have sex, whether vaginal or anal intercourse. It's important to note that HIV can be present in pre-seminal fluids (the fluids that come out before male ejaculation). 

If they have HIV, they must take their drugs exactly as prescribed. This decreases the risk of the virus spreading to their sexual partner.

IS THERE AN HIV VACCINE AVAILABLE? 

There are currently no vaccines available to prevent or treat HIV. Experimental vaccines are still being studied and tested, but none are close to being accepted for widespread use. 

Although no vaccine exists to prevent HIV, people living with HIV may benefit from other vaccinations to prevent HIV-related illnesses. The CDC's guidelines are as follows: 

pneumonia for all children younger than two years and all adults who are above 65 years.

influenza

hepatitis A and B: Ask your doctor if you should get vaccinated against hepatitis A and B, especially if you are staying in a high-risk population.

shingles for those ages 50 or older

[the-diagnosis-archive]

HIV(AIDS)

HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It is a virus that attacks cells that help the body fight infection, specifically the white blood cells called CD4 cells. HIV destroys these CD4 cells (T cells), making a person more vulnerable to other infections and diseases such as tuberculosis and some cancers. It is spread by contact with certain bodily fluids of a person with HIV, most often spreads through unprotected sex (without a condom or HIV medicine to prevent or treat HIV) with a person who has HIV. It may also spread by sharing drug needles or through contact with the blood of a person who has HIV. Women can give it to their babies during pregnancy or childbirth. First identified in 1981, HIV is the cause of one of humanity’s deadliest and most persistent epidemics.

The human body can’t get rid of HIV and no effective HIV cure exists. So, once you have HIV, you have it for life. However, by taking HIV medicine (called antiretroviral therapy or ART), people with HIV can live long and healthy lives and prevent transmitting HIV to their sexual partners. In addition, there are effective methods to prevent getting HIV through sex or drug use, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).

Without treatment, the infection might progress to an advanced disease stage where it reduces the number of CD4 cells (T cells) in the body, making the person more likely to get other infections or infection-related cancers. Over time, HIV can destroy so many of these cells that the body can’t fight off infections and disease, this stage is called AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). However, modern advances in treatment mean that people living with HIV in countries with good access to healthcare very rarely develop AIDS once they are receiving treatment.

Causes:

Scientists identified a type of chimpanzee in Central Africa as the source of HIV infection in humans. Scientists suspect the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) jumped from chimps to humans when people consumed infected chimpanzee meat or when they came into contact with their infected blood. Studies show that HIV may have jumped from apes to humans as far back as the late 1800s. Over decades, the virus slowly spread across Africa over the course of several decades and later into other parts of the world. We know that the virus has existed in the United States since at least the mid to late 1970s.

To become infected with HIV, infected blood, semen or vaginal secretions must enter your body. This can happen by having sex, you may become infected if you have any kind of sex with an infected partner whose blood, semen or vaginal secretions enter your body. By sharing needles, sharing contaminated IV drug paraphernalia (needles and syringes) puts you at high risk of HIV and other infectious diseases, such as hepatitis. The risk of HIV transmitting through blood transfusions is extremely low in countries that have effective screening procedures in place for blood donations. Infected mothers can pass the virus on to their babies during pregnancy or delivery or through breast-feeding. Mothers who are HIV-positive and get treatment for the infection during pregnancy can significantly lower the risk to their babies.

How HIV doesn't spread

You can't become infected with HIV through ordinary contact. That means you can't catch HIV or AIDS by hugging, kissing, dancing or shaking hands with someone who has the infection. HIV doesn't spread through the air, water nor insect bites.

Symptoms:

After the first month or so, HIV enters the clinical latency stage. This stage can last from a few years to a few decades. Some people don’t have any symptoms during this time, while others may experience a flu-like illness within 2 to 4 weeks after infection (Stage 1 HIV infection). But some people may not feel sick during this stage. Flu-like symptoms include fever, chills, rash, night sweats, muscle aches, sore throat, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, or mouth ulcers. Other symptoms may include dark splotches under the skin or inside the mouth, nose, or eyelids, sores, spots, or lesions of the mouth and tongue, genitals, or anus, bumps, lesions, or rashes of the skin, recurrent or chronic diarrhea, rapid weight loss, neurologic problems such as trouble concentrating, memory loss, and confusion, and anxiety and depression.

HIV symptoms at this stage may come and go, or they may progress rapidly. This progression can be slowed substantially with treatment. With the consistent use of this antiretroviral therapy, chronic HIV can last for decades and will likely not develop into AIDS, if treatment was started early enough.

For the most part, infections by other bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites cause the more severe symptoms of HIV. These conditions tend to progress further in people who live with HIV than in individuals with healthy immune systems. A correctly functioning immune system would protect the body against the more advanced effects of infections, and HIV disrupts this process.

As with the early stage, HIV is still infectious during this time even without symptoms and can be transmitted to another person. However, the only way to know for sure whether you have HIV is to get tested. If someone has these symptoms and thinks they may have been exposed to HIV, it’s important that they get tested.

For the most part, symptoms of HIV are similar in men and women. However, symptoms they experience overall may differ based on the different risks men and women face if they have HIV. Both men and women with HIV are at increased risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). However, women may be less likely than men to notice small spots or other changes to their genitals. In addition, women with HIV are at increased risk of recurrent vaginal yeast infections, other vaginal infections, including bacterial vaginosis, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), menstrual cycle changes, and human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause genital warts and lead to cervical cancer.

Diagnosis:

The only way to know for sure if you have HIV is to get tested. Knowing your status is important because it helps you make healthy decisions to prevent getting or transmitting HIV. Testing is relatively simple. You can ask your health care provider for an HIV test. Many medical clinics, substance abuse programs, community health centers, and hospitals offer them too. You can also buy a home testing kit at a pharmacy or online, however, such results should only be considered as a full diagnosis following review and confirmation by a qualified health worker.

Knowledge of one’s HIV-positive status has two important benefits. People who test positive can take steps to get treatment, care and support before symptoms appear, which can prolong life and prevent health complications for many years. And people who are aware of their status can take precautions to prevent the transmission of HIV to others.

HIV can be diagnosed through blood or saliva testing. Available tests include, antigen/antibody tests. These tests usually involve drawing blood from a vein. Antigens are substances on the HIV virus itself and are usually detectable in the blood within a few weeks after exposure to HIV. Antibody tests. These tests look for antibodies to HIV in blood or saliva. Most rapid HIV tests, including self-tests done at home, are antibody tests. Antibody tests can take three to 12 weeks after you're exposed to become positive. Nucleic acid tests (NATs). These tests look for the actual virus in your blood (viral load). They also involve blood drawn from a vein. If you might have been exposed to HIV within the past few weeks, your doctor may recommend NAT. NAT will be the first test to become positive after exposure to HIV. Talk to your doctor about which HIV test is right for you. If any of these tests are negative, you may still need a follow-up test, weeks to months later to confirm the results.

Treatment:

Currently, there's no cure for HIV/AIDS. Once you have the infection, your body can't get rid of it. However, there are many medications that can control HIV and prevent complications. These medications are called antiretroviral therapy (ART). Everyone diagnosed with HIV should be started on ART, regardless of their stage of infection or complications. A person living with HIV can reduce their viral load to such a degree that it is no longer detectable in a blood test. After assessing a number of large studies, the CDC concluded that individuals who have no detectable viral load “have effectively no risk of sexually transmitting the virus to an HIV-negative partner.” Medical professionals refer to this as undetectable = untransmittable (U=U). The person still has HIV, but the virus is not visible in test results. However, the virus is still in the body. And if that person stops taking antiretroviral therapy, the viral load will increase again and the HIV can again start attacking CD4 cells. People living with HIV generally take a combination of medications called highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) or combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). This approach has the best chance of lowering the amount of HIV in the blood. There are many ART options that combine three HIV medications into one pill, taken once daily.

There are a number of subgroups of antiretrovirals, such as:

- Protease inhibitors, protease is an enzyme that HIV needs to replicate. These medications bind to the enzyme and inhibit its action, preventing HIV from making copies of itself. These include:

o   atazanavir/cobicistat (Evotaz)

o   lopinavir/ritonavir (Kaletra)

o   darunavir/cobicistat (Prezcobix) 

- Integrase inhibitors: HIV needs integrase, another enzyme, to infect T cells. This drug blocks integrase. These are often the first line of treatment due to their effectiveness and limited side effects for many people.

o   elvitegravir (Vitekta)

o   dolutegravir (Tivicay)

o   raltegravir (Isentress)

o   Nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs)

- This class of drugs, also referred to as “nukes,” interfere with HIV as it tries to replicate:

o   abacavir (Ziagen)

o   lamivudine/zidovudine (Combivir)

o   emtricitabine (Emtriva)

o   tenofovir disproxil (Viread)

o   Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) that work in a similar way to NRTIs, making it more difficult for HIV to replicate.

There are also emergency HIV pills, or post-exposure prophylaxis

If an individual believes they have been exposed to the virus within the last 3 days, anti-HIV medications, called post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), may be able to stop infection. Take PEP as soon as possible after potential contact with the virus. PEP is a treatment lasting a total of 28 days, and physicians will continue to monitor for HIV after the completion of the treatment.

People will often use a combination of these drugs to suppress HIV. A medical team will adapt the exact mix of drugs to each individual. HIV treatment is usually permanent, lifelong, and based on routine dosage. A person living with HIV must take pills on a regular schedule. Each class of ARVs has different side effects, but possible common side effects include:

nausea

fatigue

diarrhea

headache

skin rashes

When people get HIV and don’t receive treatment, they will typically progress through three stages of disease. Treatment can slow or prevent progression from one stage to the next. Also, people with HIV who take HIV medicine as prescribed and get and keep an undetectable viral load have effectively no risk of transmitting HIV to an HIV-negative partner through sex.

Stage 1: Acute HIV infection

Within 2 to 4 weeks after infection with HIV, people may experience a flu-like illness, which may last for a few weeks. This is the body’s natural response to infection. When people have acute HIV infection, they have a large amount of virus in their blood and are very contagious. But people with acute infection are often unaware that they’re infected because they may not feel sick right away or at all. To know whether someone has acute infection, either an antigen/antibody test or a nucleic acid (NAT) test is necessary. If you think you have been exposed to HIV through sex or drug use and you have flu-like symptoms, seek medical care and ask for a test to diagnose acute infection.

Stage 2: Clinical latency (HIV inactivity or dormancy)

This period is sometimes called asymptomatic HIV infection or chronic HIV infection. During this phase, HIV is still active but reproduces at very low levels. People may not have any symptoms or get sick during this time. For people who aren’t taking medicine to treat HIV, this period can last a decade or longer, but some may progress through this phase faster. People who are taking medicine to treat HIV (ART) as prescribed may be in this stage for several decades. It’s important to remember that people can still transmit HIV to others during this phase. However, people who take HIV medicine as prescribed and get and keep an undetectable viral load (or stay virally suppressed) have effectively no risk of transmitting HIV to their HIV-negative sexual partners. At the end of this phase, a person’s viral load starts to go up and the CD4 cell count begins to go down. As this happens, the person may begin to have symptoms as the virus levels increase in the body, and the person moves into Stage 3.

Stage 3: Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)

AIDS is the most severe phase of HIV infection. People with AIDS have such badly damaged immune systems that they get an increasing number of severe illnesses, called opportunistic illnesses.

Source: x x x x x x 

[discyours]

I finished watching the latest season of Shameless and it’s reaffirmed to me how terrible this show is at LGBT representation so I’m gonna complain about it. Spoiler warning, obviously. 

Okay so first of all, Ian and Mickey were one of the best parts of this show. I’m not a gay man so my opinion on this is not that valuable, but as far as I know it was very well received by the gay community. Their relationship was as raw and as realistic as everything else that’s good about this show. How uncommon is it, even now, for media to show that guys like Mickey can be gay? How uncommon is it for them to show a genuine connection between growing up being shaped by an environment like Mickey’s and the way he deals with his sexuality, rather than just creating a character that never took on any part of their upbringing because they were simply too camp to fit in. The way Mickey and Ian both felt about their sexuality very much shaped their relationship at the start of it, but it grew from there. The writers didn’t make the mistake of making the relationship about the fact that it was gay. Neither character was killed off, the relationship was very on-and-off but wasn’t intentionally cut short, and they didn’t shy away from showing on-screen affection while also (in my opinion) not coming off as fetishistic either. Mickey and Ian was everything that is usually done wrong done right, and unfortunately the only real example of that on this show. 

The Kash storyline actually came before Mickey, but I wanted to start this post off with a positive example so I didn’t sound too salty. I have mixed feelings about how realistic this one was, and since I’m not a gay man I really don’t think it’s my place to state whether it was or not. But one thing is for sure; it wasn’t positive. I mean, it’s an affair between a seriously underage Ian (I think he was around 15 in the first season?) and his significantly older, married with children employer. Kash is also middle-eastern so this story fed into both homophobic and racist stereotypes. 

In season 2 Ian sleeps with yet another married man: Ned/Lloyd (Jimmysteve’s father). Lloyd is even older than Kash (likely 50s/60s) while Ian is still underage. Lloyd describes his sexuality as “anything that walks” meaning this isn’t actually bad gay representation, but terrible bi representation. 

Jumping ahead to season 6 (after Ian has been working in a gay club and had many hookups, but no real relationships aside from Mickey so nothing worth mentioning), Ian started dating Caleb, a black firefighter. Caleb turns out to be HIV positive but the show (in my opinion) handles it extremely well, making it a point that it’s possible to manage it with medication to the point where you can’t transmit it to anyone. It was a genuinely great, healthy relationship, until they decided to make Caleb cheat with a woman. Again, terrible bi representation, and once they’ve broken up the experience leads to Ian attempting to have straight sex too. It’s something a lot of gay men go through so I don’t think it was necessarily bad to add it to the show, but I do take issue with that even being needed as a plot device to show that Ian is truly gay, as that’s the way a lot of society views homosexuality too. 

Shortly after this, Trevor is introduced. Like I said, I’m not a gay man so my opinion on all of the former was of limited value, but I am a trans man and dear fucking god I hated Trevor’s story. Trevor is the embodiment of a character whose only defining trait is that they are LGBT. He’s overly sensitive to anyone not being immediately understanding about trans issues, and his relationship with Ian infuriated me. Trevor was offended that Ian lost interest upon finding out that he was trans, and the show made it seem like he was in the right for it. Ian apologised and they end up dating. They end up fucking. All this right after having shown that Ian tried to sleep with the opposite sex and absolutely hated it. Pure virtue signaling and my personal annoyance that every trans person in Trevor’s friend group was shown to be an “SJW snowflake” who had to introduce themselves with their pronouns is worthless next to the genuine harm that was done by showing that gay men can and totally should sleep with the opposite sex as long as they’re trans. 

I don’t even want to move on from that because of how genuinely terrible it is, but let’s do so anyway because there’s more. Further building on the pattern of terrible bi representation, there was the minor season 1/2 character Jasmine. She’s married but unfaithful, and her showing interest in women is seen as a part of her being so “free spirited”, if you can call it that. 

The “throuple” between Kev, Vee and Svetlana is another example. This post is getting long but I mean, for god’s sake can this show have a single bi character that isn’t super promiscuous if not a fucking unicorn? Every bi woman who’s ever used dating apps deserves to be mad at this storyline. 

Now for the thing that actually got me to write this post; the lesbian representation in this show. The first lesbian we see is Bob/Roberta, in season 1 and 2. She’s a literal stereotype as an extremely butch truck driver, dating a woman who is generally presumed to be straight. She and Monica try to take Liam away on the basis that he’s black and needs a black parent. Just like with Kash, this is doubly negative representation. She’s a minor character and all she does is “turn” a character by being so butch, and try to steal a fucking baby. 

In early season 9 this stereotyping stunt is repeated. Debbie meets Alex, another black woman so butch that she’s introduced as someone who’s passing as a man. Alex makes Debbie question her sexuality (though Debbie is later revealed to be bi, she wasn’t at this point so this was still falling into the “straight woman is ‘turned’ by an ultra-butch lesbian” trope) and they move in together right away. When they have lunch together after an argument, Alex spends hours talking about all of her exes, eventually reaching a point where Debbie can’t take it anymore and leaves. 

Also introduced in season 9 is Carl’s girlfriend, Kelly. When this character was introduced it was immediately obvious to me that she was coded to seem like a lesbian. She's the daughter of an army officer and plays softball, and just about everything about the way she looks and acts seemed gay. I initially thought that they made this character date Carl to kill any suspicions of her being a lesbian before they could begin, but then they actually turned “queer baiting” (not my term) into a plotline. They made her character flirt with Debbie, made Debbie try to “steal” her from Carl (again, a bi character not respecting established relationships), and very much hinted at a relationship happening. The preview for season 9 episode 13 showed them kissing, and they still ended that story with her being straight and apologising for accidentally leading Debbie on. 

I’ll throw in an honorable mention to Lea Delaria’s very brief appearance as a character so minor I can’t even remember what it was called; Lip’s potential AA sponsor; another ultra-butch stereotype, and an asshole. Oh and there was the whole gentrification plotline, where a bunch of rich lesbian couples (you guessed it, stereotypes!) moved into the southside. And Ford’s exes that Fiona met when she went bowling, which were barely actual characters and more of a joke about how gay they looked and how Ford clearly had a type. With Kelly being revealed as straight, the closest this show has ever gotten to a lesbian character that took actual part in the plot beyond being a stereotype was the lesbian couple in Fiona’s apartment building, and they still had one of them sleep with a man (off-screen, luckily) as a Totally Necessary Measure to get pregnant. 

Shameless was genuinely one of my favourite shows and it wasn’t too hard to look past most of this at first, considering so many characters are terrible people anyway. But I can’t ignore the flaws at this point. This goes beyond comedy and I’m almost angry that Shameless has ruined itself for me just by being homophobic.

[lemondairy-blog]

Unaware of Genital Herpes and Its Symptoms

Herpes results from the HSV virus.  Genital herpes isn't usually accommodated by symptoms.  It is a common disease caused by a virus.  If you think you have been exposed to genital herpes, you can want to observe a physician before you experience any indicators. You may have herpes, they may have herpes. The worst aspect of genital herpes is how there's no cure whatsoever.  It is one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases in the U.S, learn more about genital herpes and its symptoms.

You'll go crazy trying to find out in case you have herpes on your own! So in case you have herpes and don't wish to experience another outbreak, learn to take decent care of the body.  Oral herpes is quite common among children.  Folks usually acquire oral herpes through salivary contact as opposed to genital contact.

If you're pregnant and have herpes, tell your health care provider.  It's important to confirm whether it is herpes and if this is so, what type.  In some instances, genital herpes can cause significant complications.  Most people don't know they have genital herpes because they don't have any indicators of it.

Herpes is a very long haul condition.  Genital herpes is usually brought on by HSV-2 but can occasionally be attributed to HSV-1.  Be sure to talk with your obstetrician about the potential risk to your baby in case you have genital herpes. A lot of people out there fear contracting genital herpes another STD.

The early signals of herpes in women and men are generalized body aches and pains which are usually centered on the legs, buttocks and the sexual organ area.  Genital herpes doesn't necessarily cause symptoms.  A lot of people with genital herpes don't have any symptoms and might not even know they have the infection.

Herpes is among the most frequent STIs among sexually active students.  Genital herpes can readily be managed with antiviral medication.  The ideal way to learn in the event you have genital herpes is by getting tested.  As an example, it's possible to contract genital herpes once you kiss or have oral sex with a person with a sore throat.

Should you have herpes, there are many sorts of treatments available to tackle the signs and help stop the spread of the virus.  Genital herpes can impact anyone who's sexually active.  The ideal way to stop genital herpes is abstinence.

Herpes is quite contagious once you have sores.  If you've got genital herpes, you should speak to you provider about decreasing how frequently you get symptoms.  Genital herpes cannot be cured.  They can make a person more susceptible to HIV because of the skin lesions associated with herpes. It is a problem that could torment you over and over again for a long period of time.  It is very important to know that someone can spread genital herpes to others even if they don't have symptoms.  If you think that you or somebody you know has genital herpes, seek medical help from a physician or healthcare professional.

[vinodraina]

How to Prevent HIV Infection

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a serious, lifelong infection that can lead to AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) when left untreated. There are many myths about how HIV is transmitted, so do not assume that what you've heard is correct. Educate yourself before you inject drugs or have sex, even if you think it's safe or "not real sex."

  1Know which fluids contain HIV. Someone infected with HIV cannot spread it by sneezing or shaking hands, like an ordinary cold. For an uninfected person to get HIV, he needs to come into contact with one of the following:

·        Blood

·        Semen and pre-seminal fluid (cum and pre-cum)

·        Rectal fluids (fluids found in the anus)

·        Vaginal fluids

·        Breast milk

·        Saliva (contains a minuscule amount of the virus but salivary enzymes denature it)

  2

Protect areas vulnerable to HIV infection. The safest way to avoid HIV is to avoid all contact with the above fluids. However, the following areas of your body are much more likely to pick up an infection if exposed to infected fluids:

 ·        Rectum

·        Vagina

·        Penis

·        Mouth

·        Cuts and wounds, especially if bleeding

3

Test yourself and sexual partners for HIV. Many people are infected with HIV without realizing that they have the virus. Having a saliva or blood test done at a clinic or doctor's office is the most accurate way to get tested, but there are also at-home tests you can take as well. Get tested every time you have sexual contact with a new partner .A "negative" result means you do not have the virus, while a "positive" result means you are infected with HIV.

·        Many areas have HIV/AIDS clinics that provide free tests.

·        You can usually get a result within the hour, but this is not 100% reliable. For accurate results, ask for the test to be sent to a lab, or get tested a second time by a different staff member.

·        Even if you test HIV-negative, you may still have a recent infection. Practice precautions as though you had HIV for 3-6 months, then return for a second test. Different tests have different "window periods"

4

 Practice safe interactions. The following activities have no significant risk of contracting HIV:

·        Hugging, shaking hands, or touching an HIV-positive person.

·        Sharing a bathroom or toilet with an HIV-positive person.

·        Kissing an HIV-positive person — unless he or she has cuts or sores in the mouth. Unless there is visible blood, the risk is extremely small.

·        Someone who does not have HIV can never "create" it and transmit it through sex or other means. However, it is not possible to know that someone is HIV-negative with 100% certainty. Talk about past partners and HIV tests to help establish a risk reduction plan for you and your partner. 

HIV exposure treatment In Delhi The Best Dr. Vinod Raina HIV Specialist In India ......

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[meddcoinfosblog-blog]

HIV Test- An Overview

What is HIV?

HIV or human immunodeficiency virus is a type of virus that is spread through blood, sexual contact or from mother to child during pregnancy or childbirth. HIV can also be transmitted through the exchange of a variety of blood fluids from infected people such as blood, semen or even vaginal secretions. However, individuals cannot be infected through physical contact like kissing or shaking hands.  HIV attacks the body’s immune system. If HIV is not treated on time, it can lead to AIDS which is Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome and that can be fatal. Learning the basics about HIV and testing can keep one healthy and prevent   transmission.

 How to know if one is HIV positive? 

HIV is a sexually transmitted infection. The most common way for someone to get infected is through sexual activity or the exchange of bodily fluids can also cause HIV. The only way an individual can find out is through a test. Some people might face flu-like symptoms after infection with HIV. This phase is called acute HIV infection. Other symptoms include fever     sore throat and even rashes.

 How HIV can be tested?

HIV can be diagnosed through rapid tests. Rapid tests provide same-day results. HIV tests are generally original and accurate. But the main issue is no test can detect the virus immediately after infection is caused in the body. No single test can provide a full HIV diagnosis. Confirmatory testing is required which is conducted by a qualified and trained health worker at a community centre or clinic. HIV infection can be also be detected with great accuracy using WHO prequalified tests within a nationally approved testing strategy. The accurate result of the test depends upon different factors and the type of test one opts for. HIV tests are ideally performed on drops of blood or oral fluids. They can also be performed on urine.

Most proven HIV diagnostic tests detect antibodies produced by the infected person as part of their immune system’s response to fight HIV. In those cases, infected people develop antibodies to HIV within 28 days of exposure. During this time, people experience the ‘window period’. The window period is when HIV antibodies haven’t been produced in high enough levels to be detected and when they may have had no signs of HIV infection but have the capacity to transmit HIV to others. After infection, an individual may transmit HIV to a sexual, drug-sharing partner or for pregnant women to their infant during pregnancy or the breastfeeding period.

While testing for adolescents has been made simple and efficient, this is not the case for babies born to HIV-positive mothers. The serological test is not sufficient to identify HIV infection for children less than 18 months of age. In that case, virological testing must be provided as early as birth or at 6 weeks of age. New technologies are now becoming available to perform this test at the point of care and enable same-day accurate results which accelerate appropriate treatment and care.

  What are the types of HIV tests?

There are mainly three types of HIV diagnostic tests one can go for. They are :

·       Nucleic Acid Tests (NAT)

·       Antigen/antibody Tests, and

·       Antibody Tests.

 Nucleic Acid Tests (NAT)

 The NAT test looks for the virus in the blood. It tests the actual virus that is present in the body through veins. Nucleic acid tests provide typically accurate results. HIV test accuracy depends on several factors, but however, this test can either determine if a person is HIV positive or perceive how much virus is present in the blood. This is called an HIV viral load test. NAT detects HIV infection approximately up to 10 to 33 days after exposure. Though NAT is safer and can detect HIV sooner than the other types of tests, NAT is very expensive and not regularly used for screening individuals. Until and unless the infected person recently had a high-risk exposure or have early symptoms of HIV infection, NAT tests can be set aside. 

Antigen/antibody Tests

An antigen/antibody test detects the HIV antibodies and antigens of an infected person. When a healthy person is exposed to the HIV virus, the antibodies are produced by the immune system of the body. Antigens activate the immune system and if someone is HIV positive, an antigen named p24 gets activated before the antibodies. Antigen/antibody tests are recommended for testing done in labs and the test involves drawing blood from a vein.  After exposure, the antigen/antibody test can detect infection 18 to 45 days if performed in a lab. If the sample is from a finger prick, the time frame is 18 to 90 days after the exposure.

 Antibody Tests

 HIV antibody tests are done to detect the antibodies of HIV in an infected person’s blood or oral fluid. The antibody tests using blood detects HIV sooner rather than oral fluid. Mostly rapid tests and the ones FDA has approved HIV self-test are the antibody tests. HIV antibody tests usually take 23 to 90 days to detect the infection after exposure. But antibody tests can be rapid too that produces results in around 30 minutes through saliva or a drop of blood, unlike antigen/antibody tests.

 Although these three tests are prevalent all over the world, People can also use HIV self-tests to test themselves. Some states also allow for home testing of HIV.

There are two types of home tests:

Rapid self-test and

Mail-in self-test

Rapid self-test: Rapid self-test is only available in the US. This test is done using a saliva sample to check the infection. The kit is received in one’s home and once it is received, an individual can swab the gums and use the test kit to get rapid results.

Mail-in self-test: Mail-in self-test is done using a blood sample from a simple finger prick. All of the supplies are provided in the kit to help an individual take the sample, package it and send it to the lab. A healthcare provider notifies the results to the individuals.

Results of HIV test

The result can be both positive and negative. Doctors can go for a variety of tests in sequence until and unless they determine for certain that an individual is either HIV-negative or HIV-positive.

Positive HIV test results

If an individual tests positive for HIV for both the initial and follow-up testing, it confirms that the person is HIV-positive.

Researchers show that there is no such cure for HIV but treatment has come a long way in the past few decades, offering extended and improved quality of life for many. If a person is infected with HIV and properly receives treatment, the individual can have a near-normal life expectancy. Early treatment can help one stay well and prevent or delay the onset of AIDS. Partners should also be careful and test immediately to be sure and safe.

Negative HIV test results

A negative test result from HIV testing may be somewhat confusing. It is either the person doesn’t have HIV or the person needs to follow up the re-test for confirming. If a person is recently exposed to HIV, one might test negative for HIV antibodies because the body hasn't had time to create them yet. In that scenario, retesting is a must for HIV antibodies in three months, and practising safe intercourse.

 Is HIV testing confidential?

If an individual tests positive for HIV, the person’s status becomes part of one’s private medical record and is protected by federal privacy laws. An individual’s state may require the person’s healthcare provider to report the infection to one’s state health department. State departments send results to the CDC without revealing personal details.

An individual can choose anonymous testing. Anonymous tests don’t link the results to one’s information. The state health department collects the statistics, but the results aren’t part of the medical record.

In some states, there are laws that require a person and their partner’s healthcare provider to notify them regarding the HIV-positive status. If an individual does not report the status of the partner, the individual can be charged with a crime.

    Importance of HIV Testing

Human immunodeficiency virus or HIV is a virus that attacks the body’s natural defence system against disease. If HIV is left untreated, the virus can weaken the immune system so much that it can no longer fight infection. This late stage of the virus, known as AIDS, can be dangerous. HIV can affect people of all ages or genders. But detecting HIV and getting treatment is easier in today’s life. People with HIV positive can have long and healthy lives.

Taking an HIV test is the only way to know if the exposed person has the virus. HIV spreads from person to person through bodily fluids like blood or semen. So, HIV is contracted through unprotected sex or sharing needles.

HIV testing is essential to prevent HIV infection. People who are HIV positive should get HIV treatment. The sooner the people start treatment after diagnosis, the more they benefit and live a healthy life. HIV treatment can reduce the amount of virus in the blood and help prevent transmission to others. People with HIV positive who are into medications have effectively no risk of transmitting to HIV-negative sex partners. People who get tested and learn they are HIV negative should also make decisions about their intercourse, drug use, or health care that can protect them from HIV.

 What Are the Benefits of HIV Testing?

Knowing one’s HIV status is a great way to protect one’s health and the health of one’s loved ones. There are quite a lot of benefits of getting tested for HIV. They are:

·       The test is rapid:  HIV test is done through blood sample or saliva to analyse. The results are rapid and the test is free in some parts of the world too.

·       Living a healthy life: A positive person can get the treatment and stay healthy. In today’s world, antiretroviral drugs make it possible for people with HIV to live normal lives.

·       Protect one’s partners: When an individual is aware of their HIV status, one can take steps to protect one’s current and future sexual partners and encourage previous partners to get tested, as well.

·         Having peace of mind: one can be nervous about getting tested. But it's normal to feel worried about one’s status. So, awareness should be spread and it is always recommendable to take action than to ignore the concern. Getting an HIV test can provide peace of mind.

      Are there any disadvantages to voluntary HIV testing?

Having an HIV test and finding out one's status can have been disadvantaged for the person concerned. These disadvantages include coping with the report, stigma, rejection and discrimination, and abuses in family or society.  A positive test result can come as a great shock for an individual and be very difficult for a person to cope with. People diagnosed with HIV may also experience anxiety, depression, fear, stress and suicidal feelings. Proper counselling can help a person to accept their results and cope with the scenario.

HIV positive people have always been rejected by their families as they fear the infection. The infected people often have experienced discrimination or violence. Awareness should be spread for the same. Women with HIV are particularly vulnerable. Some of them have lost their homes and children, or have been beaten and abused when their HIV status is known in society. Partners and children of people with HIV, who may not be infected also face stigma and discrimination in society.

 Conclusion

HIV testing is not mandatory. HIV testing should be given with full consent and proper support to oneself, unless in the case of blood donor screening and organ donation. Choosing to take an HIV test can be hugely beneficial for oneself and their loved ones.  However, some countries require one to get an HIV test in order to enter the country. Again, some insurance companies and employers may require an individual to test for HIV.