Q: What is AIDS?

A: AIDS is a terminal disease that causes your body's immune system to break down as a result of infection with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Infection can only occur if HIV gets into your bloodstream. The two major ways you can get infected with HIV are by: UNPROTECTED SEX - That's having unprotected (without a condom/barrier) anal, vaginal, and (to a lesser extent) oral sex with an HIV-infected person, and/or SHARING NEEDLES - That's sharing intravenous (IV) drug needles, syringes, and/or equipment/rigs with an HIV-infected person. On top of that HIV is not the only infection that you can get from sexual contact. You can also get other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) - such as chlamydia, genital warts, gonorrhea, hepatitis B/C, herpes, intestinal parasites, non-gonococcal urethritis, and syphilis - through unprotected anal, vaginal, and oral sex as well as other sexual practices like rimming. If you have any of these STDs and do anything sexually that can transmit HIV, you're also at much greater risk of actually getting HIV.