What Gay Teens Need to Know About HIV /AIDS

HIV is everyone's concern, but there is still a lot of misinformation about the virus. Take the What Do You Know About HIV & AIDS Quiz, and make sure you know the real deal!

If you are sexually active, or use needles, getting an HIV test is really important. The test itself is relatively easy; you can take a blood test or an oral swab test. For a lot of teens, the hardest part is psyching yourself up to actually go and do it.

In general, AIDS is treatable, but not curable. AIDS is a virus and unlike a bacterial infection, it cannot be cured with antibiotics. In the early days of AIDS, the disease was seen as a death sentence. These days, however most health care providers call it a chronic life long condition. Very recently, however, it was reported that one documented case occurred where a man was actually cured of the disease.

Oral sex can put you at risk for HIV. But that risk is a lot lower than is the risk from other sex acts.

Teens often want to know if AIDS can be passed through kissing. In general, the answer is no because saliva is not a fluid that passes the virus. However, in certain situation, it is hypothetically possible.

The American Social Health Association estimates that there are at least 15 million new cases of STDs every year. Additionally, half of the new HIV infections in the U.S occur in people between the ages of 13–24. So why isn't everyone practicing safer sex by using condoms?

In the fall of 2008, the CDC released some upsetting news about HIV trends. They reported that the majority of new cases in the United States are among men who have sex with men.

December 1st, is World AIDS Day. Founded in 1988, the day has helped educate about the disease and raise money for AIDS research.