Health: AIDS

AIDS

Anybody can contract AIDS

AIDS is caused by the HIV virus
HIV destroys one’s immune system. When your immunity is low, you are exposed to a variety of illnesses.

AIDS

Acquired ：Acquired

Immuno：Immuno

Deficiency：Deficiency

Syndrome：Syndrome

HIV

Human : Human

Immuno deficiency : Immuno deficiency

Virus : Virus

The incubation period of AIDS is 5 to 10 years.

Infection with HIV doesn’t necessarily immediately cause AIDS. The incubation period of AIDS is about 10 years.
If you feel even the least bit anxious about such matters, please visit your local health center.

AIDS inspectionsare performed in eachpublic health center in Kyoto Prefecturefree of cost and anonymously.

From HIV infection to AIDS

HIV infection

HIV is much less infectious in comparison to influenza, etc.
There is no danger of infection in every day activities, except sexual activities.

First infection 2 to 8 weeks

Its symptom is like cold temporarily.

Carrier shows no symptoms

Although there are no obvious changes, your immune system gradually weakens.
When HIV is in your body,even if you don’t have symptoms, you may infect other people with HIV through unprotected sexual activity.
As the incubation period of HIV can last from 5 to 10 years, you should take a test immediately to ascertain if you have been infected.
If you take the test, then it is possible to extend the incubation period.

Symptom of AIDS

Your immunity will weaken and you will suffer from fever, diarrhea and weight decrease.

AIDS

Your immunity will be very weak, and you will suffer from opportunistic infections (Candidiasis, Pneumocystis carinii, etc), tumors, neurosis, etc.

AIDS Testing

Local health clinics provide AIDS testing that is anonymous and free.

Even when infected by HIV, a patient will not show obvious symptoms. If you feel there is a chance you might have become infected, please go to a health clinic and get an AIDS test (HIV antibody test).

How to Take the AIDS Test at a Health Clinic

Note: It takes a certain amount of time for the body to create the HIV antibodies that the test looks for. Please wait until three-months after the day of possible infection to take the test.

Same-day Testing

Doctors will take a blood sample, and test it for antibodies using an HIV rapid testing kit (this takes approximately one hour).
Appointments are required in advance.

Call a health center to confirm or make an AIDS consultation or test reservation (anonymous).

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Apply for the test at the health center (anonymous)

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Give a blood sample at the health center (about 5cc of blood, anonymous)

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After one hour, the results will be given in-person to the one who had the test done.

If the results are indeterminate, a new appointment will be made to personally give the person the results (about 1-2 weeks later).

Conventional Testing

Doctors will take a blood sample, and test it for antibodies. Testing can be done without an appointment.

Call a health center to confirm the date for an AIDS consultation or testing (anonymous).

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Apply for the test at the health center (anonymous).

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Give a blood sample at the health center (about 5cc, anonymous)

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Come back to the health center about 2 weeks later on a specified day. The results will be given in person to the one who had the test done.

Transmission of the HIV virus

Transmission of the virus is as follows

When a substantial amount of the HIV virus enters the body, infection occurs. The virus can be found in such quantities in the following bodily fluids of infected patients: semen, vaginal secretions, blood and breast milk.

Transmission of the virus can occur as follows.

Transmission of the HIV virus

1. Sexual intercourse : When males and females are infected with HIV, their semen and vaginal secretions include large quantities of the virus. This can enter the partner`s body through their genitalia, rectum, mouth, etc. In Japan, 90 % of Japanese AIDS patients and those infected with HIV were infected through sexual intercourse.
2. Blood infection (sharing needles) : Drug users are most likely infected through intravenous injection.
   Drug users often share the same syringe, and if the syringe or needle becomes infected it is highly probable that the infection will spread.
3. Mother-infant infection : If the mother is infected, transmission may occur through pregnancy, birth or breast-feeding. The possibility of transmission becomes lower with medical treatment.

*Infection through imported blood and blood products:
At present, blood for transfusion in Japan is inspected vigorously and blood products are also heated.
Therefore, though blood for transfusion is rarely infected, there remains a small risk of infection.

AIDS is not transmitted through the following means.

Coughing and sneezing, touching handrails etc, baths and pools, sharing drinks etc, handshaking, mosquitos, fleas, mites blood donation, hairdressers/beauticians

Link List

Domestic Association

Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare(External link)：http://www.mhlw.go.jp/

Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare Clinical Study Group for AIDS Drugs( External link )：https://labo-med.tokyo-med.ac.jp/aidsdrugmhlw/portal

National International Medical Center AIDS Clinical Cente( External link )：https://www.acc.ncgm.go.jp/

Japanese Foundation for AIDS(External link)：http://www.jfap.or.jp/

AIDS Prevention Information Network(External link)：http://api-net.jfap.or.jp/

Kinki HIV/AIDS Center( External link )：https://osaka.hosp.go.jp/department/khac/index.html

Chu-Shikoku AIDS Center(External link)：http://www.aids-chushi.or.jp/

Foreign Associations

UNAIDS(External link)：http://www.unaids.org/en/

CDC(External link)：http://www.cdc.gov/

AEGIS(External link)：http://www.aegis.com

NATAP(External link)：http://www.natap.org