HIV/AIDS 
       Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

This is the one most of you fear the most. Yes, it's not a good one to have, but you are more likely to catch other STDs than this one. Because of the previous death rate associated with AIDS before the medications being used today, the fear was justified. Now....the fear is still justified. So let's learn a little about this disease and dating.

HIV is probably the most studied virus of all time, and with all this research, they still haven’t been able to find a cure.  HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. This virus may be passed from one person to another when infected blood, semen, or vaginal secretions come in contact with an uninfected person’s broken skin or mucous membranes.

People can have HIV infection (the virus) and some, not all, will go on to develop AIDS as a result of their HIV infection.

AIDS stands for Aacquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome.  Acquired – means you got (acquired) this disease from contact with HIV (remember, that’s the virus) and it is not hereditary. Immunodeficiency – means that the disease results in a weakening of the immune system. Syndrome – refers to a group of symptoms that characterize a disease. In the case of AIDS this can include the development of certain infections and/or cancers, as well as a decrease in the number of certain cells in a person’s immune system.

The only way to know whether you or your iDate is infected with HIV is to be tested. You cannot rely on symptoms alone because many people who are infected with HIV do not have symptoms for many years. Someone can look and feel healthy but can still be infected.

In fact, one quarter of the HIV-infected persons in the United States do not know that they are infected. Of course, don’t meet on a first date and insist on an HIV test. You may come off as a bit of a nut.

Symptoms of early HIV infection include fever, headache, fatigue, swollen lymph glands and rash. I know what you’re thinking – you had those symptoms in the past. Yeah, these are the same symptoms of so many viral illnesses like the flu that you are probably okay – unless you had unprotected sex with someone with AIDS. The HIV symptoms usually develop 2 to 4 weeks after exposure. So if you had sex two to four weeks ago just hope you caught the flu and not HIV.

These early HIV symptoms usually disappear within a week to a month and are often mistaken for other viral infections like the flu. During this period, you are very infectious. More persistent or more severe symptoms of HIV may not appear for several years after this initial infection.

There are some things to be thankful for. HIV is not a hardy virus, in that it takes a large amount to cause disease, and it doesn’t do well on counter tops or toilet seats. It does, however, go to town when given the chance. It takes blood exposure to spread. So while the virus resides in semen and in vaginal secretions as well as blood, you have to be inoculated by getting it into your blood stream. Low and behold, that can happen when you practice rough, unsafe sex. Anal sex is a good start. You see, anal sex by definition is rough sex. The mucous membranes of the rectum weren’t designed to take a pounding. They tear and result in an opening for the virus to spread.

That’s enough for the details. After all, this is about Internet dating as it relates to disease not a medical text.  If you need more look it up or go to your doctor.

While the authorities would like you to think all sex is the same regarding AIDS, it isn’t. Normal heterosexual sex is less likely to cause HIV. So don’t be afraid to have sex, but practice safe sex. The vagina can tear, too, when sex is vigorous, when the vagina has atrophied from not having sex enough or post menopausal when the vaginal mucosa may be thin.

Don’t have sex when you are menstruating. While most of the older women have passed that point, you older horny guys dating young women can get into trouble.

If you have any sores on your genitals or mouth, like those found with a herpes outbreak, or if you just had dental surgery, hold off on your sexual escapades until you heal. You can always use the “I have a headache” excuse to put off your sex starved date.

If you have HIV or AIDS, it is a nice idea to tell your perspective dates that you do, so they can refuse to go out with you. Actually, that is a dilemma you have to decide how to handle. If you tell someone the likelihood is they will not go out with you. This could mean your only dates will be from others with the infection. Not to make light of the situation, but once you have HIV you become a modern day leper in regard to dating.