What About AIDS?
You are undoubtedly aware of AIDS, or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. You may wonder whether you will be at risk for developing AIDS in the United States. The answer is simple: you are no more at risk in the United States than you would be at home; your risk of infection depends almost entirely on your own behavior.
As you probably know, you do not get AIDS in the same way you get a cold, influenza, or other contagious illnesses. You can become infected with the virus only if it gets into your blood through contact with the blood, semen, or vaginal secretions of an infected person. This can happen only if you engage in sexual activities involving the exchange of body fluids, or if you share needles (for example, for injecting drugs, acupuncture, tattooing, or ear piercing) with someone who is infected. Always use a condom if you have sex and, in any activity involving needles, make certain the needles are sterilized.
You do not get AIDS from:
Swimming in a pool with swimmers who are infected
Sharing drinking or eating utensils
Insect bites
Everyday contact with those who have AIDS
Eating food handled, prepared, or served by someone with HIV or AIDS
Donating blood For more information, consult the health clinic on your campus or ask for a pamphlet on AIDS from your institution.
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