2. Is AIDS a disease that affects only people in Africa?
No, HIV/AIDS is found all over the world. Africa currently has the highest numbers of people infected. Experts have predicted that Russia, China and India will have severe outbreaks of the disease.

3. Can people with HIV live a number of years unaware of their HIV positive status?
Yes, the only way to know if you are HIV positive is to be tested. Most people with HIV do not know their status, because they have not been tested.

4. Can you still lead a productive life after contracting HIV/AIDS?
Yes, you can! You will eventually become ill with AIDS, but until then, you can work, fulfill dreams and encourage others to abstain from sex outside of marriage. Medications might prevent the HIV infection from the development of AIDS.

5. Is HIV/AIDS spread through blood-to-blood contact with someone who has HIV?
Yes, AIDS is transmitted through body fluids (sexual contact with an infected person), blood-to-blood (blood transfusions, sharing needles) and mother to baby.

6. Can you get HIV/AIDS if you use a condom?
Yes, condoms fail at least 15 percent of the time to reduce the risk of HIV infection, and that is when they are used 100 percent of the time.66

7. Did everyone with HIV/AIDS get it through having sex outside marriage?
No, some people have contracted the virus through blood transfusions, by sharing needles for drug injection or for piercings and as a baby born to an HIV-positive mother.

8. Can people with HIV/AIDS live longer by taking certain medicines and eating healthy foods such as protein and fruits?
Yes, medicines and diet will help the person's white blood cells combat infection. There is no vaccine or cure for HIV/AIDS.
9. Will AIDS make you weak in fighting diseases such as malaria, TB and pneumonia?
Yes, as the immune system weakens, it will become more difficult to resist infections to a variety of diseases and viruses.

10. Can a healthy-looking and healthy feeling (no symptoms) HIV-positive person infect other people with HIV?
Yes, anyone who is HIV-positive can infect other people. You cannot tell if someone has HIV by how he looks.

P O L O G I E S
Quick Facts on HIV/AIDS

HIV is primarily passed through sexual contact and blood-to-blood contact.

AIDS is almost always the end result of an HIV infection.

There is no cure for AIDS.

Although research is underway, there is currently no vaccine to prevent the spread of AIDS.

Condoms fail about 15 percent of the time to reduce the risk of HIV infection.67

HIV/AIDS can be avoided.