Shocking news of the last days: the epidemic of HIV is rampant in Yekaterinburg! About 1.8% of the city's population is infected with HIV - every 50th resident! But this is official data, in reality the figure can be higher.
Here is what Yekaterinburg mayor Yevgeny Roizman said about the epidemic:
"About the HIV epidemic in Yekaterinburg. Do not cherish illusions, this is a common situation for the country. It's just that we are working on detectability and we are not afraid to talk about it "
As early as October 2015, Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova stated that the number of people infected with HIV in Russia by 2020 could increase by 250% (!) If "the current level of funding" is maintained. According to experts, at present there are about 1 million 300 000 HIV-positive people in Russia.
How is HIV transmitted?
The virus contains enough:
- in blood;
- sperm;
- vaginal discharge;
- breast milk.
Thus, HIV can be infected in three ways: through sexual contact, through blood and from mother to child (during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding).
7 HIV prevention measures
Today, the main method of fighting HIV is its prevention. To protect yourself from infection, you must adhere to the following simple rules.
- Practice safe sex. HIV can be infected during unprotected sex, both with vaginal sex, and with anal and even oral. At any form of sexual contact on the mucous membrane of the genital organs, rectum, oral cavity, etc., microcracks appear, through which the pathogen of infection penetrates into the body. Especially dangerous is sexual contact with an infected woman during menstruation, as the content of the virus in menstrual blood is much higher than in vaginal discharge. You can get infected with HIV even if you get sperm, vaginal secretion or menstrual blood of an infected person for a wound or abrasion on the partner's skin.
Therefore, it is extremely important to use a condom. There is no other way to protect yourself from infection during sexual intercourse. Safe sex without a condom is possible only with a partner who has been tested for HIV.
About condoms
- choose condoms of only known companies (Durex, "VIZIT", "CONTEX");
- always check their expiration date;
- such a wonderful invention as a reusable condom has not been patented yet! Therefore, with each new contact, use a new condom;
- Do not get condoms in a transparent package, under the influence of sunlight latex can break down;
- Do not use grease on fat basis (petroleum jelly, oil, cream) - it can damage the condom;
- some believe that for greater security, you need to use just two condoms. but this is a myth: between the two condoms, put on each other, there is friction, and they can tear.
Increases the risk of infection, in addition to menstruation, sexual intercourse with rupture of the hymen in an infected woman, the presence of venereal diseases.
- Do not abuse alcohol. A drunken man makes easier sexual contact with an unfamiliar partner and ignores the importance of safe sex. Drunk, as you know, the sea is knee-deep, the mountains are on the shoulder, but he does not think of such a thing as a condom at all.
- Never try drugs. Remember that among other hazards, the use of injecting drugs is one of the main ways of contracting HIV. Addicts often use a single needle at all, which causes infection.
- Never use other people's razors, manicure tools, toothbrushes, and do not give anyone your hygiene supplies. The same goes for your personal syringes and needles.
- Choose only licensed salons for cosmetic procedures. Remember that you can catch HIV even with procedures such as manicure, pedicure, piercing, tattooing, shaving, if the cosmetic tools have not been disinfected, and you were used by an HIV-infected person. Therefore, if necessary, these procedures, contact only licensed salons, where the tools are disinfected after each client, or even better - use disposable.
- Take a test for HIV and talk it into your partner. If you are planning to enter into a serious relationship with your partner, go for HIV testing together, take the express test - this will help to avoid unpleasant surprises in the future. Even if you are 100% sure of your boyfriend (girl) and know that he does not use drugs and will never change you, there is a risk of catching a dangerous virus.
- Observe precautionary measures if your work is related to other people's body fluids. If at work you have to contact other people's body fluids, be sure to wear latex gloves, and then wash your hands thoroughly with a disinfectant.
Doctors say that now not only risk groups are exposed to HIV (drug addicts, homosexuals and prostitutes), but also quite well-off people who do not use narcotic substances and remain faithful to their partner. How does this happen? For example, a 17-year-old guy tried the drug for a company and contracted HIV through a syringe. The symptoms of HIV were not immediately apparent: it made itself felt, say, in 10 years. By this time, this quite successful and prosperous young man had already forgotten about his only narcotic experience and managed to infect his constant girl.
In addition, according to the director of the Federal AIDS Center, Vadim Pokrovsky:
"People do not live long with one person, but constantly change partners. If there is at least one HIV-infected in this chain, then all are infected "
Thus, the virus penetrates into the environment of socially well-off people.
Situations where the risk of contracting HIV is minimal
- Handshake. HIV can be infected through a handshake only if both have open wounds on the palms, which is almost impossible.
- Bathing in a natural body of water, a swimming pool or a bath with an HIV-infected person is safe.
- Use of shared dishes, bed linen and toilet is safe.
- Kisses on the cheek and lips are safe. You can get infected only in the event that you and your partner are not bitten to the blood of lips and tongues.
- Hugs and sleep in one bed are safe.
- Bites of mosquitoes and other insects do not pose a danger. No cases of human infection from an insect have been detected!
- The risk of infection through pets is zero.
- Infect through money, door handles, railings in the metro is impossible.
- Medical manipulations and transfusion of donor blood are almost safe. Now for injections use disposable needles, so infection as a result of medical manipulations is reduced to zero. All donor blood passes necessary check, therefore the risk to catch this way makes only 0,0002%.
- To "catch" a virus through saliva, tears and urine of an HIV-infected person is impossible. The content of the virus in these biological fluids is not enough to infect. For comparison: in order to infect a healthy person's HIV, one drop of contaminated blood or four glasses of contaminated saliva is needed in his blood. The latter is almost impossible.
As you can see, HIV prevention, unlike many other diseases, is not particularly difficult.