Myth: AIDS isn’t much of a problem in Oregon.
FACT: In 1985, there were 31 cases of AIDS in Oregon. Fourteen years later Oregon had over 4,300 cases of AIDS and 10,000 people infected with HIV (the virus that causes AIDS). We can stop this epidemic, but not if we pretend we don’t have a problem.

Myth: The people with AIDS are gay white men.
FACT: That was true only in the 1980s in this country. Infection is increasing rapidly in people who inject drugs and in their sexual partners, in people of color, in women, and in teenagers. HIV Disease does not discriminate. It’s not who you are, it’s what you do that puts you at risk.

Myth: I can get HIV from mosquitoes, or fleas, or monkeys, or cats.
FACT: HIV means Human Immunodeficiency Virus. A human being can only get HIV from another human being who carries the virus. If this were not so, people with AIDS would be all ages—whether sexually active or not—in parts of the country where mosquitoes are common. That isn't happening.

Myth: If I don’t have anal sex, I won’t get infected.
FACT: Anal sex without a condom can result in infection, but so can unprotected oral or vaginal sex. HIV can be absorbed through the tissues of the vagina, the rectum or the mouth—and you don’t have to have a cut or open sore. If the blood, semen or vaginal fluids of an infected person get into your body, you risk becoming infected with HIV.

Myth: A healthy-looking partner is a safer partner.
FACT: Most people infected with HIV have absolutely no symptoms or signs that you can see and may not even be aware that they are infected.

Myth: I can get HIV by donating blood or from a blood transfusion.
FACT: Donating blood is and always has been completely safe because blood banks use sterile equipment and disposable needles for each donor. The likelihood of receiving infected blood in a transfusion is very small about 1 in 600,000 instances because all donated blood is tested for HIV and all donors are screened. With white blood cells and plasma, the risk is even lower because these products are processed to kill the virus.

Myth: HIV is contagious. That means it’s easy to catch.
FACT: Unlike colds or the measles, you can’t catch HIV through ordinary public contact. That includes sneezes, coughs, hugs or shaking hands; using toilet seats, drinking fountains, public phones or swimming pools; and touching objects or eating food handled by someone who is infected. Not a single case has been found where a person got HIV through casual contact, even when they lived with or worked with or went to school with someone who was infected. You can only catch the virus by getting the blood, semen or vaginal fluids of an infected person inside you. (Note: Breast milk is also a risky body fluid.)

Myth: Giving first aid to someone who is bleeding is dangerous.
FACT: Using simple safety precautions can greatly reduce any risk. Have an injured person handle his/her own bleeding wound when possible; try not to get any of their blood on you; and wash any blood off of you and your clothing as soon as you can, using warm water and soap. The six million health care workers in this country who deal with blood every day have had 54 exposures result in HIV infection since 1978.

Myth: Why should I get a test to see if I have HIV? There’s no cure.
FACT: Although there is currently no cure, there are new treatments which slow the spread of HIV in the body and which cure or treat related health problems. If you know that you have HIV, there are many things you can do to improve your chances of staying well longer. Many people are now living 10 to 15 years after infection without developing symptoms.

Myth: Abstinence is the only way to be safe. Condoms break all the time.
FACT: Abstinence (not having sex) will protect a person from catching HIV if they don’t share injection drug equipment or unsterilized needles. But if you are going to have sex, a condom can be effective protection if used correctly. Read the directions on the box, and only use latex condoms with a water- based lubricant.

Myth: We don’t really know the facts about HIV yet.
FACT: Extensive research and experience over the past 20 years has clarified the facts about HIV Disease. But simply knowing about HIV is not enough. Infection is preventable, but only if behaviors change.

Frequently Asked Questions (CDC site) | Myths and Facts about AIDS | Testing Sites | Community Planning Team | CPT Plan (PDF) | Needle Exchange | What's Working in Needle Exchange | Reducing Risk when Injecting Drugs | How to Use a Condom