After looking through several websites and asking several people, we were able to identify the most common HIV misconceptions in Kenya and around the world:
- HIV can be spread by making contact with those who are HIV positive
HIV cannot be spread by making contact with a person or:
- Kissing
- Sharing a glass
- Sharing a toilet
- Shaking hands
- Being sneezed or coughed on by an infected person
Being close to an HIV positive individual you will not also be infected, this is a major misconception that
leads to isolation of those infected and other actions such as murder and banishment.
2. Mosquitoes can spread HIV
Many people believe that being bit by a mosquito or another insect can spread HIV. This is not true, in fact it has been stated that once a mosquito has bitten an HIV positive individual, the virus only stays in the mosquito for not more than 30 seconds. The mosquito also does not ingest enough of the virus to spread it around and a mosquito does not inject the blood of its victim and so no blood is transferred.
3. A person with HIV will immediately die
The Aids death rate may be very high. However, a person with HIV may not necessarily die. Many people with HIV live long lives.
4. HIV cannot be spread when one is receiving treatment
HIV treatments may work well, and when they do they will definitely decrease the amount of the virus in your blood by a significant amount. Regardless of the treatment you are getting and how effective it is. There is still a risk that you may pass it on to another person.
5. Straight people cannot get AIDS
It is true that a Man can become HIV positive through sexual contact with another man. However, many men and women do get infected through heterosexual contact. Therefore, it is not only homosexual men who can be infected by HIV; anyone can, at any given time if they do not take the necessary precautions.
Source: http://www.avert.org
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