Campaign

HIV

Alone or accompanied, get tested for HIV!

Español
English

Do you know the difference between HIV and AIDS?

It is possible to have HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and not know it. The virus may not show signs for many years. Therefore, if you have had sexual relations without a condom, it is very important that you take the test, so that if the result is positive, you can receive treatment promptly and prevent the virus from becoming stronger. AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), or advanced HIV, is the stage in which your body weakens little by little, your defences cannot do their job and therefore, your body gets sick very easily. Currently, AIDS is the second most common cause of death among adolescents (10 - 19 years old) worldwide. In the case of adolescent women, it is the first.

In Guatemala there are 46,000 reported cases of people living with HIV. Adolescents and young people are the most affected, since 43% of cases are concentrated in the ages of 10 -29 (76% men and 24% women). According to the MSPAS, the departments with the highest incidence are Guatemala, Escuintla, Izabal, Retalhuleu and Suchitepéquez.

How is it transmitted?

The most common transmission route is sexual (96%), that is, through sexual intercourse without a condom. The second cause is transmission from mother to child (during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding). Other forms of transmission have to do with contaminated blood transfusions and the shared use of needles (tattoos, piercings, drugs). If you are going to get a tattoo, ask the operator to open the needle in front of you.

How to prevent it?

With comprehensive sexuality education:

85% of adolescents and young people do not know that the risk of acquiring HIV can be reduced by always using condoms and having only one sexual partner.

The lack of comprehensive sexuality education exposes adolescents and young people to the risk of sexually transmitted infections, HIV, unplanned pregnancies, situations of violence and discrimination.

How is it detected?

With the HIV detection test:

It is estimated that 33% of people living with HIV do NOT know their status. 89% of women and 96% of adolescent men aged 15 to 19 have never been tested.

Taking the test can be complicated due to fear of the result, fear of what others might say, because the places where they do the test are far away or because if you are under 18 years of age you need your parents’ or guardians’ authorization (at the healthcare provider’s discretion the test for HIV and for pregnancy can be performed regardless of the age). There are two types of tests, a rapid one, with which you can know your results in 20 minutes and another laboratory test. If the result of the rapid test is positive, you must repeat the test in a laboratory to confirm the result and start your treatment as soon as possible.