o o PQ + American Red Cross HIVffiE EDUCATION American Red Cross HIV/AIDS Facts Book OMH-RC-Knowledge Center 5515 Security Lane Suite 101 Rockville, MD 20852 1-800-444-6472 MISSION OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS The American Red Cross, a humanitarian organization led by volunteers and guided by its Congressional Charter and the Fundamental Principles of the International Red Cross Movement, will provide relief to victims of disasters and help people prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies. ABOUT THE AMERICAN RED CROSS To support the mission of the American Red Cross, over 1.3 million paid and volunteer staff serve in some 1,600 chapters and blood centers throughout the United States and its territories and on military installations around the world. Supported by the resources of a national organization, they form the largest volunteer service and educational force in the nation. They serve families and communities through blood services, disaster services, disaster relief and preparedness education, services to military family members in crisis, and health and safety education. The American Red Cross provides consistent, reliable education and training in injury and illness prevention and emergency care, providing training to nearly 12 million people each year in first aid, CPR, swimming, water safety, and HIV/AIDS education. All of these essential services are made possible by the voluntary services, blood and tissue donations, and financial support of the American people. FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF THE INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT MOVEMENT • Humanity • Impartiality • Neutrality • Independence • Voluntary Service • Unity • Universality ii June 1998 American Red Cross Copyright 1998 by The American National Red Cross All Rights Reserved ISBN 0-86536-216-5 iii American Red Cross June 1998 I ( Acknowledgments The American Red Cross HIV/AIDS Facts Book provides the facts base for Red Cross educational efforts to prevent the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Originally, the bulk of this material appeared as the “HIV/AIDS Facts” unit in Ane American Red Cross HIV/AIDS Instructor's Manual, published in 1990 and revised in 1991 and 1992. In 1995, the material was separated from the instructor’s manual, and it became its own publication. In its current form, the Facts Book is intended for use by— • Red Cross HIV/AIDS instructors trained in the Basic, African American, Hispanic, and Workplace HIV/AIDS programs offered by the Red Cross, as they facilitate HIV/AIDS education sessions in their communities. • The general public, as it seeks to understand the facts about HIV and AIDS and to have its questions answered. This Facts Book was developed by the American National Red Cross, Office of HIV/AIDS Education, with Mark Robinson, Vice President. Chapter Operations, and Carolyn Branson, Manager of HIV/AIDS Educational Develop¬ ment. Karen J. Peterson, Ph.D., headed up the development team consisting of Eileen Roy, M.A., and Melissa Werner, M.P.H. Beth Rosenfeld served as editor and Mactronics as production specialist. This publication was supported by Cooperative Agreement No. U62/CCU 303031-08.2 from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The contents of this publication are solely the responsibility' of the Red Cross. Like earlier versions, this Facts Book was reviewed by many people who generously gave their time and ideas to strengthen content. Brenda W. Garza of the CDC and Roger Dodd, Ph.D., and Alan Williams, Ph.D., of the Jerome H. Holland Laboratory, American Red Cross, made significant contributions to the development of the manuscript. Red Cross national and field staff provided review and comment on drafts of the manuscript. With other elements of the Red Cross Basic HIV/AIDS Program, an earlier version of this Facts Book was field- tested in the spring and summer of 1994 at the Alexandria Chapter, Alexandria, Virginia; Mile High Chapter, Denver, Colorado; St. Louis Bi-State Chapter, St. Louis, Missouri; and Heart of Texas Area Chapter, Waco, Texas. V American Red Cross June 1998 ! Contents Acknowledgments.v Introduction. 1 List of Questions About HIV and AIDS. 3 Key for Using the Facts Book . 9 Chapters 1: Essential Facts About HIV and AIDS . 11 The Virus. 11 Transmission and Prevention. 32 Casual Contact. 62 Getting Tested. 63 Blood Supply and Related Issues. 71 Children and HIV. 81 Social Impact. 92 2: More Facts About the Virus. 99 3: More Facts About Transmission and Prevention. 121 4: More Facts About Testing. 141 5: More Facts About Blood Supply and Related Issues . 151 6: More Facts About Children With HIV Infection. 161 7: More Facts About Social Impact of HIV Infection. 179 8: More Facts About First Aid, CPR, and Aquatics . 195 Glossary . 209 Bibliography. 221 Supplemental Materials. 235 “How HIV Causes AIDS.” Reprinted from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. February 1998. New Medicines for AIDS in Development. Reprinted from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America. November 1997. “Medical Advice for Persons Who Inject Illicit Drugs.” HIV Prevention Bulletin. Reprinted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Health Resources and Services Administration, National Institute on Drug Abuse, and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. May 9, 1997. HIV/AIDS Prevention Bulletin (on the role of bleach in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention programs for injection drug users). Reprinted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, and National Institute on Drug Abuse. April 19, 1993. “Update: Barrier Protection Against HIV Infection and Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases.” Reprinted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. MMWR, 1993; vol. 42, no. 30. Index. 281 vii American Red Cross June 1998