More on HIV/AIDS

Shooting drugs Tattoos and body piercing Playing sports HIV-infected mothers Donated blood

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Shooting Drugs

Sharing drug equipment such as needles or syringes is any easy way to get HIV. When you inject the drug in your skin, blood will come up the needle. When you share someone's needle and it hasn't been cleaned, the blood left in the needle will be injected into you. This is how people get infected.

You don't have to inject drugs like heroin, cocaine or speed. Sharing needles for injecting steroids could also infect you.

If you shoot up drugs and share needles, there is a big risk for getting HIV and other infections like hepatitis B and C. IF YOU NEED HELP TO STOP TAKING DRUGS: CALL National Drug and Alcohol Hotline for help:1-800-662-43457.

Making needles safe from HIV and other STIs

One way to avoid getting HIV is to not use drugs and share needles. You should use a new, clean needle if possible. If clean needles and "works" aren't available, you have to know how to clean them. Cleaning needles will kill any HIV virus on the needle.

Tips on Cleaning Needles and Works:

• Get 2 cups and fill them with water
• Fill the syringe with water from one cup and wait 30 seconds. Throw out that water and cup.
• Empty the syringe and fill it with bleach. Wait 30 seconds before rinsing it out.
• Refill the syringe with bleach 2 more times. Wait at least 30 seconds before rinsing.
• Fill the syringe with water from the second container several times. This will get rid of the bleach.

Tattoos And Body Piercing

Some people are afraid that you can get HIV through body piercing or tattooing. You can ask a tattoo parlor to explain what they do to stop HIV from being passed from person to person.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that tattooing and piercing needles should be used once and thrown away OR sterilized (thoroughly cleaned).

Some people have friends who do tattooing with pins, needles, writing pens and even knives. This is not a good idea. Those things may not be clean and could pass HIV to you without you knowing.

If you are thinking about getting a tattoo or piercing, choose a reputable (trustworthy) shop and make sure they do it safely and cleanly.

Playing Sports

If someone gets hurt and starts bleeding when you are playing sports, stop the game. In organized sports the player is not allowed to play until the bleeding stops and the cut is covered with a bandage. If there is blood on playing court, like a basketball court or wrestling mat, the team trainer will clean the area with disinfectant. If the player gets blood on the uniform, the uniform must be changed.

These safety rules are flowed to keep people from the injured player's blood. There are no written cases of HIV from sports.

HIV-Infected Mothers

A mother can transmit HIV to her baby. But, she can lower the risk by taking special medicine when she is pregnant. A mother with HIV should not breastfeed her baby. HIV can be passed through breast milk. Women now are offered HIV tests when they are pregnant. By knowing if they are infected with HIV, moms can make the best choices for the health of themselves and their baby.

Donated Blood

The blood supply in the United States is tested and all blood that may contain HIV or another disease is thrown away. So you can get a blood transfusion and not worry. Some people worry about getting infected by donating blood, but there never has been any risk of infection by donating. A sterile needle is used to collect blood and then the needle is thrown away.