body and cause AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). HIV attacks and kills certain cells of the body, especially those that protect us from disease. When too many of these cells have been destroyed, the body becomes weak and the person gets sick.

A person with HIV may get very serious diseases that healthy people do not get, such as a rare kind of pneumonia (a disease of the lungs) or some types of cancers. When a person with HIV has one of these diseases, we say the person has AIDS.

Many people with HIV do not look or feel sick, but they can give this virus to other people by having sex and by sharing needles they use to take drugs.

Pregnant women can also give HIV to their babies before they are born.

Getting tested for HIV can cause lots of anxiety, but that shouldn't keep you from taking the test. To help you decide if you should take the test to know if you have HIV (sometimes called the AIDS test), answer these questions: Have you: had sex without knowing for sure if the person you had sex with does not have HIV? had sex with someone you know has HIV or AIDS? had a disease passed on by sex, like genital herpes or syphilis? (Having these diseases makes it easier to get HIV.) had sex with many men or women or had sex with someone who has had sex with many men or women? had sex with someone who uses needles to take drugs? shared needles or works to take drugs? If you have answered "yes'' to any of these questions, you should think about having the HIV test.

How HIV testing can help you.

If tests show you don't have HIV, you can learn how to stay HIV-free (someone who does not have HIV is called HIV-negative).

If tests show you do have HIV, you can get medical care right away to help you: stay healthy longer; avoid getting some illness caused by HIV; get early treatment for illness that do occur.

Testing is the only way to know if you have HIV, and testing is the first step to getting medical care, counselling, and support if you need it.

Before you take the test Taking the HIV test can help you, but it is a big step. You should think about how having HIV could affect your life. These three steps can help you prepare to take the test.

1. Consider telling someone you trust that you are having the HIV test. The support of a family member or friend can mean a lot.

2. Find out how private your result will be. Ask the clinic if anyone but you can learn your test results.

3. Set a time to get your results. Don't put it off. The test can only help you when you find out what it shows.

The HIV test shows if you have signs in your blood of the virus that causes AIDS.

HIV testing has four steps: 1. You go to the clinic or doctor's office. A nurse or counsellor tells you about the test. You can ask questions and talk about your fears and concerns.

2. You decide to have the test. A nurse takes some blood from your arm using a needle.

3. Your blood is tested for signs of HIV. If the first test is positive (shows signs of HIV), the blood will be tested again. If the second test is positive, another kind of test will be done to confirm the result.

4. Test results come back to the clinic. A nurse or counsellor tells you when to come in, what the results mean, and how to help yourself.

To learn more about HIV and where to get the test call the Department of Health: Gaylia Landry 292-6777, 292-1241 or Jennifer Fox 236-0224 Ext. 242.

Gaylia Landry Source: National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Bethesda, MD Common Sense About AIDS HEALTH AND SOCIAL ISSUES HTH