Q:
Can I find out whether I have HIV without getting a blood test?
A:
No. You need to have a blood test to detect the presence of antibodies to the HIV virus.
Q:
Can I get HIV from giving or receiving oral sex?
A:
It's relatively rare, but there's a small risk of contracting HIV through unprotected oral sex. The virus can be transmitted through the mouth cuts and sores you get from routine activities such as eating hard foods, brushing your teeth, or chewing gum.
Q:
Does having another STD increase my risk of contracting HIV?
A:
Yes, having another STD may cause inflammation of the genital tract tissues, which can weaken the body's ability to fight off HIV.
Q:
Does using latex condoms reduce the risk of all sexually transmitted diseases and infections?
A:
You can dramatically reduce your risk of contracting or spreading STDs if you use a latex condom correctly every time you have vaginal, oral, or anal sex. Condoms are most effective at stopping infections present in vaginal fluids and semen such as HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and trichomoniasis, and less successful in stopping HPV, genital herpes, or syphilis—infections spread through skin-to-skin contact.
Q:
The condom broke! Is there anything I can do now to cut my risk of contracting an STD?
A:
Postexposure prophylaxis (PEP), a short course of drugs, can prevent HIV infection if you take it within about 72 hours of the condom breaking. However, this treatment is hard to find unless you're in the health-care or law-enforcement field. If you plan to become sexually active with someone who has HIV or AIDS, find a PEP source beforehand.
