For Teens: What You Should Know About HIV and AIDS

HIV is a virus that causes AIDS. AIDS is a disease that kills by making a person unable to fight off other diseases. It's important to know that if a person has HIV, this does not mean they also have AIDS.  There is no cure for HIV or AIDS but treatment can control it.

You can’t tell if people have HIV/AIDS by the way they look. HIV/AIDS can affect anyone no matter their gender or sexual orientation. It can also affect people of any race or ethnicity. HIV is passed from person to person. It's passed through close contact with certain infected body fluids. This includes blood, semen, and vaginal fluid. HIV can also be passed from a pregnant mother to her unborn baby.

How you can get HIV

You can get HIV from:

• Having sex with a person who has HIV or AIDS. This includes vaginal, oral, or anal sex. It can be sex with someone of the opposite or same sex.  It can happen from having sex just once.
• Sharing infected needles used to inject illegal drugs or steroids.
• Sharing infected needles used for body piercing or tattooing.
• Sharing infected razors or other sharp items.

How you can't get HIV

You can't get HIV from:

• Hugging, kissing, sharing food or shaking hands with someone who has HIV.
• Toilet seats, doorknobs, tables, or dishes.
• Insect bites.

It’s up to you to protect yourself

You must take steps to protect yourself from HIV.

• Limit the number of sex partners you have.
  • Don't have casual "hook-ups." People with multiple sex partners and who have casual "hook-ups" are more likely to get HIV.
  • Always talk with your sex partners about their HIV status. If they don't know, make sure they are tested before you have sex.
  • If you had sex with someone with HIV or of unknown HIV status, see a healthcare provider within 72 hours. A treatment called PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) can help prevent getting HIV.
• Don’t share needles, razors or other sharp items.
• Stay sober.
  • Using alcohol or drugs can make you lose control.
  • You are more likely to have unprotected sex (sex without a condom) when you are under the influence or drugs or alcohol.
• Practice abstinence (don’t have sex).
  • You don’t need to have sex to have a great time and get close to someone.
  • Having sex increases your chances of getting HIV or some other disease.
  • Don’t give in to pressure to have sex. Wait until you’re ready. There are a lot of responsibilities that go along with sex.
• Always use a condom.
  • If you are having sex or thinking about having sex, be ready to protect yourself and have the correct protection available.
  • Latex male and female condoms both help protect you.
  • Using a latex condom correctly and consistently can help reduce the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Keep latex condoms on hand. Store them in a cool, handy place. Don’t keep them in your wallet or car. This can make the latex break up.
  • Learn the right way to use condoms. 
• If you have symptoms of an STI, get medical care right away.
  • Symptoms may include a discharge, burning, sores, swollen glands, and rash.  
  • Having an untreated STI makes it more likely to get other STIs, including HIV.

• If you are having unprotected sex often or have already had an STI:
  • Talk with your healthcare provider to see if PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a good option to prevent getting HIV. 
  • PrEP involves taking a medicine every day to give you extra protection in case you are exposed to the virus.
• If you are having sex with someone with HIV:
  • Find out if they are taking their HIV medicine every day and if the virus in their blood is undetectable (completely under control).
  • If they arenot taking their HIV medicines and the virus is detectable, or if you are unsure about this, use condoms every time you have sex. Also, strongly consider taking PrEP.

• If your partner has HIV, is taking their medicines daily, and their virus is undetectable for at least 6 months straight, then the chance of getting HIV from them is small, even without condoms. This is called undetectable (untransmissable).

© The StayWell Company, LLC. 800 Township Line Road, Yardley, PA 19067. All rights reserved. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical care. Always follow your healthcare professional's instructions.