How do you live with a person with HIV or AIDS?

Answer 1

First, it's important to differentiate between HIV and AIDS. HIV, or Human Immunodeficient Virus(s) is the cause. AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is a collection of things that happen to a person after HIV has compromised their immune system. So one's a disease that can be transmitted; the other is a syndrome or group of symptoms. You can't catch AIDS. The first step in living with someone who has HIV is learning how the disease passes, which in this case is through bodily fluids. In order of density of viral presence, they are: * Blood * Breast Milk * Semen * Vaginal fluid * Saliva* * Tears* * Sweat* * At this time, there is no substantiated case of transmission via saliva, tears or sweat, even though these fluids may contain the virus. That's where HIV exits the carrier. Where it enters is: * Transfusions (very rare in developed countries now that we have blood screening understood). * During rough sex (where both participant's skin has been broken and blood is flowing). * Breast feeding. * Sharing of needles when injecting drugs. * During normal but unprotected sex (via semen or vaginal fluid through an intact mucous membrane). * Needle sticks (in a healthcare setting -- not an intravenous exposure). * Splashes (cases where infected blood hits an open wound or mucous membrane accidentally -- this happens most frequently in a healthcare setting). So the trick is mostly to not allow a transmission. This means condoms when you have sex every time. Oral sex should be avoided.It means being very careful if either of you have an open wound. The CDC says "French" kissing should be avoided, but then points out that salliva transmissions may never have occurred, so they're likely concerned about (possibly undetected) oral lacerations or ulcerations passing the virus blood-to-blood. Note that tears, sweat and saliva contain the virus, but in such small quantities that there's no evidence of the capability of transmission. Another good idea is to have both of you chat with your doctor(s) about this. You'll likely want to allow your doctor to share medical information with both of you (per HIPAA and various other medical privacy laws), so both of you can call the doctor about this, and not have the doctor get worried about exchanging protected information. This may require that you sign some paperwork allowing this exchange of information. Note that jsut being married is not sufficient for this -- you have to state that release specifically. You'll also want to learn some guidelines on how to handle first air and emergencies when blood born pathogens are involved. This isn't as hard as it sounds. It's actually common sense. Wash your hands a lot. How to clean up. That sort of thing. At the time of this writing (October, 2008), the following is thought to be true (see links): * No airborne transmission -- you can't get it from across a room. * No environmental transmission -- it won't travel through the rivers and streams or even by sharing a cup of tea. * Insects, fleas, mosqitoes, etc. do not transmit this disease. * You can't get it by sharing bath water or toilet seats. There are a zillion good programs that can help the both of you cope with this disease and, while this is certainly serious, it's not a death sentence.

Answer 2

In the western world we live the SAME as everyone else,with the right treatment and care a person with HIV can live a long healthy life. Trips to the clinic and drugs store are only a minor inconvenience. One must remember in the west HIV is a manageable long term condition and not a death sentence. Sadly in Africa and other parts of the developing world things are much different.

Answer 3

Someone can live in a house with a person who has HIV if they take precautions. Care should be taken to prevent directly contact of bodily fluids to open wounds to prevent contracting the disease.