Actress Nandana Sen could teach our cops a thing or two about aids awareness. Find out what they need to know the next time they worry about interrogating criminal Ravi Pujari's HIV-infected aide

This is irrespective of whether you have met the person on the Internet or in an upmarket party or a pub, in south Mumbai or the suburbs.
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HIV does not discriminate as per socio-economic norms. To live under any false illusions that it does not affect "folks like us" is the biggest mistake people make," says Pallav Patankar, director-HIV Programs, The Humsafar Trust.



Dr Rajiv Anand adds that HIV is present in vaginal and cervical secretions (the wetness in a woman's vagina) and can enter the penis through the urethra (the hole at the tip) or through cuts or abrasions on the skin of the penis. The presence of other STDs can increase the risk of transmission.

HIV only affects gay men/drug users

It can affect anyone. "It is important to know that irrespective of sexual identity or habit everyone is at equal risk of HIV if safe sex practices are not followed. It is also important to note that the predominant sexual route of HIV transmission in India is still heterosexual.

As per the National Aids Control Programme (NACP III), MSM (Men who have Sex with Men) have been identified as high-risk populations. This is by virtue of these populations being hidden, stigmatised and hence difficult to reach by way of health services and information," states Pallav Patankar.

Those with HIV/AIDS cannot have children as the virus might be passed on to the unborn child

Om Shrivastav ,Consultant, Infectious Diseases and HIV Medicine, Jaslok Hospital, counters this claim. "Mothers who go through an entire pregnancy without treatment have a 30% to 40 % chance of transferring the virus to their unborn child.
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Treatments can be offered at various stages of pregnancy, and the chance of passing the infection then falls to 2% - 4 % Other modalities such as sperm wash (if the male alone is HIV positive) and artificial fertilisation are offered and while the risk of transfer of infection is not zero, it can be minimized substantially."

HIV progresses to AIDS at the same rate in all risk groups

The time frame may differ. Ivonne Camaroni, Chief HIV, UNICEF India Country Office, states "For some, it takes a long time for HIV to progress to AIDS and for others it may be faster. Different people progress to AIDS at different rates and speed of progression is determined by multiple factors."



Dr Omu00a0 Shrivastav, Consultant, Infectious Diseases and HIVu00a0 Medicine, Jasloku00a0 Hospital, adds, "Approximately 100 T cells will be lost yearly after infection, but there are subgroups called slow progressors and rapid progressors who will respectively show variable time patterns to disease progression.
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This is why patients need to beu00a0 regularly tested for declines in T cell population and increase in viral load, so that a treatment regimen can be structured even when they do not have symptoms"

If both partners have HIV they don't need to use a condom

A condom is a must for any kind of sexual contact. Dr. Rajiv Anand, Psychiatrist and Sex Consultant, explains "Sexual contact between two HIV infected people requires a condom. Different strains of HIV can be passed between two HIV infected people, making treatment of the infection even more difficult.
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This transfer of one HIV strain to another HIV infected person is called reinfection. Also keep in mind; condoms are important in preventing the transmission of other sexually transmitted diseases."
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Patankar adds that it is advisable to use condoms irrespective of both partners being HIV+. "HIV is divided into HIV Type 1 and HIV Type 2, which further have their sub-types.
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In case of latent opportunistic infections such as STDs, it is better to prevent transmission of infection from one partner to another. These issues can be avoided by continuing to practice safe sex."

The quiz Nandana maxed

Simran Kaur Mundi, Miss India, 2008



Do you think HIV/AIDS can be contracted through mosquito bites?
I don't know!

If you heard that your gay stylist had AIDS would you continue to get your hair cut by him?
Yes, of course!