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Can chlamydia hurt my baby?
Yes, if untreated before you deliver. Your baby can be born with lung or eye infections.

How do you get HIV?
Through exposure to blood or body fluids.

There really aren’t that many NEW cases of HIV anymore, are there?
There continue to be 40,000 new cases of HIV infection each year across the U.S. 1/2 of these new infections are occurring in persons under the age of 25.

What is the difference between HIV and AIDS?
HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus and is the virus that causes AIDS or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. It does this by breaking down the body's immune system, making it susceptible to all kinds of illnesses and infections.

What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of HIV infection include, but are not limited to: fatigue, chronic high fever or chronic diarrhea/vomiting. Many people do not have symptoms at all.

How long before symptoms appear?
It may take as long as 10-15 years for symptoms to appear after a person has been infected with HIV.

What is the HIV test?
The HIV test looks for antibodies to HIV in either a blood specimen or an oral specimen. Results take two weeks to come back and testing is free and confidential. This antibody test can detect antibodies as soon as 2 weeks - 6 months after infection.

How can a person become infected with HIV?
HIV is spread through unprotected oral, anal, vaginal sex with an infected person, through sharing needles/blood with an infected person, or from HIV-infected mother to child either before, during, or after birth through breast-feeding.

How do you prevent HIV infection?
You can prevent HIV infection as easy as A,B,C: A stands for abstinence and is simply not having sex or sharing blood with anyone. It is the only 100% way to prevention infection. B stands for being in a mutually faithful, committed, relationship with only one uninfected person who does not share needles/blood with anyone. C stands for condoms and/or safer sex use.

If someone is infected with the HIV virus in a rural county, how can they get services?
The program covers 16 Northwest Missouri.

If someone is infected with the HIV virus, what requirements do they need to meet to get services?
To enroll in case management a person must have proof of HIV Positive Status, show need per assessment, and be less than or equal to 300% of poverty.