An Independent supplement by Mediaplanet to the Miami Herald
No.1/October 2010
Positive living EN ESPAÑOL E INGLÉS
photo: steve morrison
Pedro Julio Serrano, an HIV-positive Latino advocate
survIVing the virus Preventing, treating and living with HIV/AIDS
THE TOP FIVE MYTHS ABOUT AIDS
HOW TO PROTECT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY FROM HIV
From the editors of
LOCAL RESOURCES FOR TESTING AND CARE
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IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION PREZISTA® (darunavir) is a prescription What is the most important Can PREZISTA be taken with other information I should know medicine. It is one treatment medications? about PREZISTA? option in the class of HIV (human • PREZISTA, together with Norvir ®, • Taking PREZISTA with certain immunodeficiency virus) medicines medicines could cause serious has rarely been observed to known as protease inhibitors. and/or life-threatening side cause liver problems which may PREZISTA is always taken with and at effects or may result in loss of be life-threatening. It was not the same time as ritonavir (Norvir®), in its effectiveness. Do not take always clear if PREZISTA caused combination with other HIV medicines PREZISTA if you are taking the these liver problems because for the treatment of HIV infection in following medicines: alfuzosin some patients had other illnesses adults. PREZISTA should also be taken (Uroxatral®), dihydroergotamine or were taking other medicines. with food. (D.H.E.45®, Migranal®), ergonovine, Your healthcare professional ergotamine (Wigraine®, • The use of other medicines active should do blood tests prior to Ergostat®, Cafergot®, Ergomar®), against HIV in combination with starting combination treatment methylergonovine, cisapride PREZISTA/ritonavir (Norvir®) may including PREZISTA. If you have (Propulsid®), pimozide (Orap®), oral increase your ability to fight HIV. chronic hepatitis B or C infection, midazolam, triazolam (Halcion®), Your healthcare professional will your healthcare professional rifampin (Rifadin®, Rifater®, work with you to find the right should check your blood tests Rifamate®), sildenafil (Revatio®) combination of more often because you have an when used to treat pulmonary HIV medicines increased chance of developing arterial hypertension, indinavir liver problems • It is important that you remain (Crixivan®), lopinavir/ritonavir under the care of your healthcare Talk to your healthcare (Kaletra®), saquinavir (Invirase®), professional during treatment with professional about the signs and lovastatin (Mevacor®, Altoprev®, PREZISTA symptoms of liver problems. Advicor®), pravastatin (Pravachol®), These may include yellowing PREZISTA does not cure HIV simvastatin (Zocor®, Simcor®, of your skin or whites of your infection or AIDS, and does not Vytorin®), salmeterol (Serevent®), or eyes, dark (tea-colored) urine, prevent passing HIV to others. products containing St. John’s wort pale-colored stools (bowel • Before taking PREZISTA, tell your movements), nausea, vomiting, healthcare professional if you are loss of appetite, or pain, aching taking sildenafil (Viagra®), vardenafil or sensitivity on your right side (Levitra®), tadalafil (Cialis®, below your ribs Adcirca®), atorvastatin (Lipitor®), • Skin rashes have been reported in atorvastatin/amlodipine (Caduet®), patients taking PREZISTA. Rarely, rosuvastatin (Crestor®), or colchicine PREZISTA has been reported to (Colcrys®). This is not a complete cause a severe or life-threatening list of medicines. Be sure to tell rash. Contact your healthcare your healthcare professional professional immediately if you about all the medicines you are develop a rash. Your healthcare taking or plan to take, including professional will advise you whether prescription and nonprescription your symptoms can be managed on medicines, vitamins, and herbal therapy or whether PREZISTA should supplements be stopped ABOUT PREZISTA
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ONCE-DAILY PREZISTA FOR ADULTS TAKING HIV MEDS FOR THE FIRST TIME In a clinical study* of almost 2 years (96 weeks) in people who had never taken HIV meds before, ONCE-DAILY PREZISTA with low-dose ritonavir plus Truvada®… • Helped 8 out of 10 people achieve undetectable viral load (less than 50 copies/mL) • May help to increase T-cell count • Was associated with low rates of diarrhea, stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting — Diarrhea (8%), stomach pain (5%), nausea (3%), and vomiting (2%) were reported as moderate to severe PREZISTA must be taken with and at the same time as 100 mg of Norvir® (ritonavir), and with other HIV meds and with food. Once-daily dosing of PREZISTA is not recommended for adults who have taken HIV meds in the past. Please read Important Safety Information below and ask your doctor if once-daily PREZISTA is right for you. Individual results may vary.
What should I tell my doctor before I take PREZISTA? • Before taking PREZISTA, tell your healthcare professional if you have any medical conditions, including allergy to sulfa medicines, diabetes, liver problems (including hepatitis B or C), or hemophilia • Tell your healthcare professional if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding
What are the possible side effects of PREZISTA?
• Please refer to the ritonavir (Norvir®) Product Information (PI and PPI) for additional information on • High blood sugar, diabetes or worsening of diabetes, and increased precautionary measures You are encouraged to report bleeding in people with hemophilia negative side effects of have been reported in patients taking protease inhibitor medicines, prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, including PREZISTA or call 1-800-FDA-1088. • Changes in body fat have been
• For adults taking HIV meds for the seen in some patients taking HIV first time: PREZISTA 800 mg (two medicines, including PREZISTA. The 400-mg tablets) must be taken at cause and long-term health effects the same time with 100 mg Norvir® of these conditions are not known at once daily every day. PREZISTA must this time be taken with food • As with other protease inhibitors, taking PREZISTA may strengthen the body’s immune response, enabling it to begin to fight infections that have been hidden. Patients may experience signs and symptoms of inflammation that can include swelling, tenderness, or redness
Please see Important Patient Information on the next page for more information, or visit www.PREZISTA.com.
If you or someone you know needs – The effects of PREZISTA on help paying for medicine, call pregnant women or their unborn 1-888-4PPA-NOW (1-888-477-2669) babies are not known. You and your •The most common side effects or go to www.pparx.org. healthcare professional will need to related to taking PREZISTA include diarrhea, nausea, rash, headache, decide if taking PREZISTA is right stomach pain, and vomiting. for you Uncommon but severe side effects – Do not breastfeed if you are such as inflammation of the pancreas *343 adult patients (30% women) received taking PREZISTA. You should not combination therapy with PREZISTA/ritonavir. and increased blood fat levels have At the start of the study, the average T-cell count breastfeed if you have HIV because also been rarely reported. This is was 245, and 66% of patients had a viral load less of the chance of passing HIV to not a complete list of all possible than 100,000 copies/mL. your baby side effects. If you experience these or other side effects, talk to your healthcare professional. Do not stop taking PREZISTA or any other medicines without first talking to your healthcare professional
Distributed by: Tibotec Therapeutics/Division of Centocor Ortho Biotech Products, L.P. Titusville, NJ 08560 ©2010 Tibotec Therapeutics 09/10 28PRZDTC0010CR3 All trademarks are property of their respective owners.
ONCE DAILY www.PREZISTA.com/patient
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• Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking estrogen-based contraceptives (birth control). PREZISTA might reduce the effectiveness of estrogen-based contraceptives. You must take additional precautions for birth control, such as condoms
IMPORTANT PATIENT INFORMATION PREZISTA® (pre-ZIS-ta) [(darunavir) (da-ROO-nuh-veer)] Tablets ALERT: Find out about medicines that should NOT be taken with PREZISTA. Please also read the section “Who should not take PREZISTA?”. Please read this information before you start taking PREZISTA. Also, read the leaflet each time you renew your prescription, just in case anything has changed. Remember, this leaflet does not take the place of ca reful discussions with your doctor. You and your doctor should discuss your treatment with PREZISTA prior to the first time you take your medicine and at regular checkups. You should remain under a doctor’s care when using PREZISTA and should not change or stop treatment without first talking with a doctor.
WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION I SHOULD KNOW ABOUT PREZISTA? PREZISTA, together with NORVIR® (ritonavir), has rarely been observed to cause liver problems which may be life-threatening. It was not always clear if PREZISTA caused these liver problems because some patients had other illnesses or were taking other medicines. Your healthcare professional should do blood tests prior to initiating combination treatment including PREZISTA. If you have chronic hepatitis B or C infection, your healthcare professional should check your blood tests more often because you have an increased chance of developing liver problems. Please also read the section “What are the possible side effects of PREZISTA?”. Rarely, PREZISTA has been reported to cause a severe or life-threatening rash. Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you develop a rash. Your healthcare provider will advise you whether your sympto ms can be managed on therapy or whether PREZISTA should be stopped.
WHAT IS PREZISTA? PREZISTA is an oral tablet used for the treatment of HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) infection in adults. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). PREZISTA is a type of anti-HIV medicine called a protease (PRO-tee-ase) inhibitor.
HOW DOES PREZISTA WORK? PREZISTA blocks HIV protease, an enzyme which is needed for HIV to multiply. When used with other anti-HIV medicines, PREZISTA can help to reduce the amount of HIV in your blood (called “viral load”) and increase your CD4 (T) cell count. HIV infection destroys CD4 (T) cells, which are important to the immune system. The immune system helps fight infection. Reducing the amount of HIV and increasing the CD4 (T) cell count may improve your imm une system and, thus, reduce the risk of death or infections that can happen when your immune system is weak (opportunistic infections). PREZISTA is always taken with and at the same time as ritonavir (NORVIR®), in combination with other anti-HIV medicines. PREZISTA should also be taken with food.
DOES PREZISTA CURE HIV OR AIDS? PREZISTA does not cure HIV infection or AIDS. At present, there is no cure for HIV infection. People taking PREZISTA may still develop infections or other conditions associated with HIV infection. Because of this, it is very important for you to remain under the care of a doctor. Although PREZISTA is not a cure for HIV or AIDS, PREZISTA can help reduce your risks of getting illnesses associated with HIV infection (AIDS and opportunistic infection) and eventually dying from these co nditions.
DOES PREZISTA REDUCE THE RISK OF PASSING HIV TO OTHERS? PREZISTA does not reduce the risk of passing HIV to others through sexual contact, sharing needles, or being exposed to your blood. For your health and the health of others, it is important to always practice safer sex by using a latex or polyurethane condom or other barrier method to lower the chance of sexual contact with any body fluids such as semen, vaginal secretions, or blood. Never re-use or share needles. Ask your doctor if you have any questions on how to prevent passing HIV to other people.
WHAT SHOULD I TELL MY DOCTOR BEFORE I TAKE PREZISTA? Tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you: • are allergic to sulfa medicines. • have diabetes. In general, anti-HIV medicines, such as PREZISTA, might increase sugar levels in the blood.
• have liver problems, including hepatitis B and/or C. • have hemophilia. Anti-HIV medicines, such as PREZISTA, might increase the risk of bleeding. • are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. The effects of PREZISTA on pregnant women or their unborn babies are not known. You and your doctor will need to decide if taking PREZISTA is right for you. If you take PREZISTA while you are pre gnant, talk to your doctor about how you can be included in the Antiretroviral Pregnancy Registry. • are breastfeeding. Do not breastfeed if you are taking PREZISTA. You should not breastfeed if you have HIV because of the chance of passing HIV to your baby. Talk with your doctor about the best way to feed your baby.
WHO SHOULD NOT TAKE PREZISTA?** Together with your doctor, you need to decide whether taking PREZISTA is right for you. Do not take PREZISTA if you: • are allergic to darunavir or any of the other ingredients in PREZISTA • are allergic to ritonavir (NORVIR®) • take any of the following types of medicines because you could experience serious side effects: – alfuzosin (Uroxatral®) – dihydroergotamine (D.H.E. 45®, Migranal®), ergonovine, ergotamine (Cafergot®, Ergomar®), methylergonovine – cisapride – pimozide (Orap®) – oral midazolam, triazolam (Halcion®) – St. John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) – lovastatin (Mevacor®, Altoprev®, Advicor®), simvastatin (Zocor®, Simcor®, Vytorin®) – rifampin (Rifadin®, Rifater®, Rifamate®, Rimactane®) – sildenafil (Revatio®) when used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension
CAN PREZISTA BE TAKEN WITH OTHER MEDICATIONS?** Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. PREZISTA and many other medicines can interact. Sometimes serious side effects will happen if PREZISTA is taken with certain other medicines (see “Who should not take PREZISTA?”). Tell your doctor if you are taking estrogen-based contraceptives (birth control). PREZISTA might reduce the effectiveness of estrogen-based contraceptives. You must take additional precautions for birth control such as a condom. Tell your doctor if you take other anti-HIV medicines. PREZISTA can be combined with some other anti-HIV medicines while other combinations are not recommended. Tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines: – bepridil, lidocaine, quinidine, amiodarone (Cordarone ®), digoxin (Lanoxin®), flecainide (Tambocor®), propafenone (Rythmol®), – warfarin (Coumadin®) – carbamazepine (Tegretol®, Carbatrol®), phenobarbital, phenytoin (Dilantin®, Phenytek®) – trazodone (Desyrel®), desipramine (Norpramin®) – colchicine (Colcrys®) – clarithromycin (Biaxin®) – ketoconazole (Nizoral®), itraconazole (Sporanox®), voriconazole (Vfend®) – rifabutin (Mycobutin®) – metoprolol (Lopressor®, Toprol-XL®), timolol (Betimol®, Combigan®, Istalol®, Cosopt®, Timoptic®) – midazolam administered by injection – felodipine (Plendil®), nifedipine (Adalat®), nicardipine (Cardene®) – dexamethasone, fluticasone (Advair Diskus®, Cutivate®, Flonase®, Flovent Diskus®) – bosentan (Tracleer®) – atorvastatin (Lipitor®), pravastatin (Pravachol®), rosuvastatin (Crestor®) – cyclosporine (Sandimmune®, Neoral®), tacrolimus (Prograf®), sirolimus (Rapamune®) – salmeterol (Serevent®) – methadone, buprenorphine/naloxone – risperidone (Risperdal®, Risperdal® Consta®, Risperdal® M-TAB®), thioridazine – sildenafil (Viagra®), vardenafil (Levitra®), tadalafil (Cialis®) – tadalafil (Adcirca®) – paroxetine (Paxil®), sertraline (Zoloft®)
IMPORTANT PATIENT INFORMATION Tell your doctor if you are taking any medicines that you obtained without a prescription. This is not a complete list of medicines that you should tell your doctor that you are taking. Know and keep track of all the medicines you take and have a list of them with you. Show this list to all of your doctors and pharmacists any time you get a new medicine. Both your doctor and your pharmacist can tell you if you can take these other medicines with PREZISTA. Do not start any new medicines while you are taking PREZISTA without first talking with your doctor or pharmacist. You can ask your doctor or pharmacist for a list of medicines that can interact with PREZISTA.
HOW SHOULD I TAKE PREZISTA? Take PREZISTA tablets every day exactly as prescribed by your doctor. You must take ritonavir (NORVIR®) at the same time as PREZISTA. • For adults who have never taken anti-HIV medicines, the usual dose is 800 mg (two 400 mg tablets) of PREZISTA, together with 100 mg (one 100 mg capsule) of ritonavir (NORVIR®), once daily every day. • For adults who have taken anti-HIV medicines in the past, the usual dose is 600 mg (one 600 mg tablet or two 300 mg tablets) of PREZISTA, together with 100 mg (one 100 mg capsule) of ritonavir (NORVIR®), twice daily every day. Do not take PREZISTA once daily if you have taken anti-HIV medicines in the past. PREZISTA and ritonavir (NORVIR®) should be taken together at the same time every day. If you have questions about when to take PREZISTA and ritonavir (NORVIR ®), your doctor can help you decide which schedule works for you. Take PREZISTA and ritonavir (NORVIR®) with food. Swallow the whole tablets with a drink such as water or milk. Do not chew the tablets. Continue taking PREZISTA and ritonavir (NORVIR ®) unless your doctor tells you to stop. Take the exact amount of PREZISTA and ritonavir (NORVIR®) that your doctor tells you to take, right from the very start. To help make sure you will benefit from PREZISTA and ritonavir (NORVIR ®), you must not skip doses or interrupt therapy. If you don’t take PREZISTA and ritonavir (NORVIR®) as prescribed, the beneficial effects of PREZISTA and ritonavir (NORVIR®) may be reduced or even lost. Patients taking PREZISTA once daily If you miss a dose of PREZISTA or ritonavir (NORVIR®) by more than 12 hours, wait and then take the next dose of PREZISTA and ritonavir (NORVIR®) at the regularly scheduled time. If you miss a dose of PREZISTA or ritonavir (NORVIR®) by less than 12 hours, take your missed dose of PREZISTA and ritonavir (NORVIR®) immediately. Then take your next dose of PREZISTA and ritonavir (NORVIR®) at the regularly scheduled time. Patients taking PREZISTA twice daily If you miss a dose of PREZISTA or ritonavir (NORVIR®) by more than 6 hours, wait and then take the next dose of PREZISTA and ritonavir (NORVIR®) at the regularly scheduled time. If you miss a dose of PREZISTA or ritonavir (NORVIR®) by less than 6 hours, take your missed dose of PREZISTA and ritonavir (NORVIR®) immediately. Then take your next dose of PREZISTA and ritonavir (NORVIR®) at the regularly scheduled time. You should always take PREZISTA and ritonavir (NORVIR®) together with food. If a dose of PREZISTA or ritonavir (NORVIR®) is skipped, do not double the next dose. Do not take more or less than your prescribed dose of PREZISTA or ritonavir (NORVIR®) at any one time.
Talk to your healthcare professional about the signs and symptoms of liver problems. These may include yellowing of your skin or whites of your eyes, dark (tea colored) urine, pale colored stools (bowel movements), nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, or pain, aching or sensitivity on your right side below your ribs. Rash has been reported in 10.3% of patients receiving PREZISTA. In few patients, PREZISTA has been reported to cause a severe or life-threatening rash. Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you develop a rash. Your healthcare provider will advise you whether your symptoms can be managed on therapy or whether PREZISTA should be stopped. Other relevant severe side effects reported at an uncommon or rare frequency were inflammation of the liver or pancreas, increased blood fat levels, diabetes, and changes in body fat. Some side effects are typical for anti-HIV medicines in the same family as PREZISTA. These are: • high blood sugar (hyperglycemia) and diabetes. This can happen in patients taking PREZISTA or other protease inhibitor medicines. Some patients have diabetes before starting treatment with PREZISTA which gets worse. Some patients get diabetes during treatment with PREZISTA. Some patients will need changes in their diabetes medicine. Some patients may need new diabetes medicine. • increased bleeding in patients with hemophilia. • changes in body fat. These changes can happen in patients taking anti-HIV medicines, including PREZISTA. The changes may include an increased amount of fat in the upper back and neck, breast, and around the back, chest, and stomach area. Loss of fat from the legs, arms, and face may also happen. The exact cause and long-term health effects of these conditions are not known. • immune reconstitution syndrome. In some patients with advanced HIV infection (AIDS) and a history of opportunistic infection, signs and symptoms of inflammation from previous infections may occur soon after anti-HIV treatment, including PREZISTA, is started. It is believed that these symptoms are due to an improvement in the body’s immune response, enabling the body to fight infections that may have been present with no obvious symptoms. The most common side effects include diarrhea, nausea, rash, headache, abdominal pain and vomiting. Tell your doctor promptly about these or any other unusual symptoms. If the condition persists or worsens, seek medical attention. This medication is prescribed for your particular condition. Do not use it for any other condition or give it to anybody else. Keep PREZISTA and all of your medicines out of the reach of children. If you suspect that more than the prescribed dose of this medicine has been taken, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. This is a brief summary of information about PREZISTA for adult patients with HIV. If you have any questions or concerns about either PREZISTA or HIV, talk to your doctor. For additional information, you may also call Tibotec Therapeutics at 1-877-REACH-TT or 1-877-732-2488. **The brands listed are the registered trademarks of their respective owners and are not trademarks of Tibotec Pharmaceuticals, Ltd.
WHAT ARE THE POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF PREZISTA? Like all prescription drugs, PREZISTA can cause side effects. The following is not a complete list of side effects reported with PREZISTA when taken either alone or with other anti-HIV medicines. Do not rely on this leaflet alone for information about side effects. Your doctor can discuss with you a more complete list of side effects. PREZISTA, together with NORVIR ® (ritonavir), has rarely been observed to cause liver problems which may be life-threatening. It was not always clear if PREZISTA caused these liver problems because some patients had other illnesses or were taking other medicines. Your healthcare professional should do blood tests prior to initiating combination treatment including PREZISTA. If you have chronic hepatitis B or C infection, your healthcare professional should check your blood tests more often because you have an increased chance of develop ing liver problems.
Manufactured for Tibotec, Inc. by: JOLLC, Gurabo, Puerto Rico Distributed by: Tibotec Therapeutics, Division of Centocor Ortho Biotech Products, L.P., Raritan NJ 08869 Patent Numbers: 5,843,946; 6,248,775; 6,335,460 and other US patents pending NORVIR ® is a registered trademark of its respective owner. PREZISTA® is a registered trademark of Tibotec Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. © Tibotec, Inc. 2006
Revised: April 2010
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6 · October 2010
An independent supplement by Mediaplanet to the Miami Herald
WELCOME We recommend
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Pedro Julio Serrano Communications Manager, The National Gay and Lesbian Taskforce; Founder of Puerto Rico Paratod@s
“I’ve learned that I am stronger than a tiny virus. It lives with me, but it doesn’t rule me.” “He aprendido que soy mucho más fuerte que un virus diminuto. El virus vive en mi, pero no me controla.”
positive living 1st edition, October 2010 Oriol R. Gutierrez Jr. Deputy Editor, POZ Magazine POZ.com Photo Credit: grant delin
Information is good medicine
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a ny p e o p l e think only certain kinds of people who engage in certain types of behavior can contract HIV. This is part of the reason the disease continues to spread today. The truth is, anyone can get HIV/ AIDS. It affects men and women of all races and ethnicities, all sexual orientations, all ages. While having
more partners and more highrisk sex (or sharing injection drug works with others) can increase your chances for contracting the virus, it only takes one partner, or one shared needle. You can’t tell whether or not someone has HIV by looking at that person. Only a special test can detect someone’s HIV status. The belief that “people like me don’t get HIV” has resulted in more and more people—especially Latinos—contracting the disease.
When we don’t think HIV can enter our lives, it may. It happened to me. But I also know that if you connect to care and treatment as soon as possible, you can live a long, healthy, full life in spite of the virus. And HIV can easily be prevented by practicing safer sex and/or injecting. In honor of National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (October 15) we share this special supplement for those of you who are HIV positive and need care and support and
those of you who just want to learn about the disease, stay safe and protect your family and the ones you love. We hope you will find it useful and inspiring. Please also visit poz.com and tusaludmag.com to find many more resources. Here’s to your good health and happiness!
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tener más parejas y más sexo de alto riesgo (o compartir instrumentos para inyectarse drogas con otras personas) puede aumentar las posibilidades de contraer el virus, alcanza con una sola pareja o con compartir agujas una sola vez para infectarse. No puedes saber si una persona tiene el VIH o no, con solo mirarla. Sólo una prueba especial puede detectar el estado de VIH de una persona. La creencia de que “las personas como yo no contraen el VIH” ha resultado en que más y más personas (especialmente los
latinos) contraigan la enfermedad. Cuando no pensamos que el VIH puede ingresar en nuestras vidas, quizás lo haga. Me sucedió a mí. Pero también sé que si te conectas con la atención médica y el tratamiento lo antes posible, podrás vivir una vida larga, sana y plena a pesar de tener el virus. Y el VIH se puede prevenir fácilmente cuando el sexo y/o las maneras de inyectarse son más seguras. En honor del Día Nacional Latino para la Concientización del SIDA (15 de octubre) compartimos este suplemento especial para aquellos
Responsible for this issue: Publisher: Bobby Huebner bobby.huebner@mediaplanet.com Designers: Missy Kayko missy.kayko@mediaplanet.com Mariel Fitgerald mariel.fitzgerald@mediaplanet.com In collaboration with POZ magazine: Editorial Director: Regan Hofmann Publisher: Megan Strub Managing Editor: Jennifer Morton Deputy Editor: Oriol R. Gutierrez Jr. Editor: Tim Horn Distributed within: The Miami Herald, October 2010 All editorial content is ©2010 POZ/CDM Publishing LLC and has been licensed for use in this publication and did not involve The Miami Herald or its editorial departments.
Mediaplanet’s business is to create new customers for our advertisers by providing readers with high-quality editorial content that motivates them to act.
Oriol R. Gutierrez Jr. Deputy Editor, POZ Magazine POZ.com
La información es buena medicina uchos piensan que sólo cierto tipo de personas que participan de cierto tipo de conductas pueden contraer el VIH. Esta es una de las razones por las que la enfermedad continúa diseminándose hoy en día. La verdad es que, cualquiera puede contraer el VIH/SIDA. Afecta a los hombres y a las mujeres de todas las razas y grupos étnicos, a todas las orientaciones sexuales y a todas las edades. Si bien
Country Manager: Jon Silverman jon.silverman@mediaplanet.com Editorial Manager: Jackie McDermott jackie.mcdermott@mediaplanet.com
que sean VIH positivos y necesiten atención y apoyo, para aquellos que simplemente quieran aprender más acerca de la enfermedad, mantenerse a salvo y proteger a su familia y a sus seres queridos. Esperamos que lo encuentres útil e inspirador. Por favor, también visita poz.com y tusaludmag.com para encontrar más recursos. ¡A tu salud y felicidad!
Oriol R. Gutierrez Jr. Deputy Editor, POZ Magazine POZ.com
Want more information? Visit poz.com for more information about HIV/AIDS prevention, testing, treatment and care? Also, don’t miss our website just for Latinos: tusaludmag.com. And if you’re looking for a date,there are more than 110,000 people living with HIV looking for love on poz. com/personals.
¿Quieres más información? ¿Quieres más información acerca de la prevención, diagnóstico, tratamiento y atención médica del VIH/SIDA? Visita poz.com. Además, no te pierdas nuestro sitio en Internet exclusivo para latinos: tusaludmag.com. Y si estás buscando una cita amorosa, hay más de 110,000 personas que viven con el VIH y que buscan amor en los personales de poz. com (poz.com/personals).
An independent supplement by Mediaplanet to the Miami Herald
October 2010 · 7
the truth about aids statistics
A snapshot of HIV/AIDS in the Latino community Today, more people are living with HIV/AIDS than ever before— including an estimated 1.2 million people in the United States and 33 million people worldwide. Of the 1.2 million Americans estimated to be living with HIV/AIDS, one in five is not aware he or she is living with the virus. In 2006, about 15 percent of the U.S. population were Latinos, but they represented 17 percent of all new HIV/AIDS infections in the United States.
Aracelis Quinones New York City Diagnosed in 1987 “I became an advocate because I saw too many women getting infected with HIV. I think Latina women are at high risk for HIV because of our culture. We never tell men to use protection.” Ciudad de Nueva York Diagnosticada en 1987 “Yo me convertí en una activista cuando ví que demasiadas mujeres se infectaban con el VIH. Yo creo que las mujeres latinas corren un alto riesgo de contraer el VIH debido a su cultura. Nunca les pedimos a los hombres que usen protección.” Photo Credit: Steve Morrison
The top five myths about HIV/AIDS—debunked Myth #1: Having HIV is no longer a big deal.
disease and weakened bones.
Truth: HIV is still a serious and potentially deadly disease. HIV treatment has potential side effects, some of which can be tough to deal with and even debilitating. Also, HIV treatment is a lifetime commitment, and the drugs must be taken like clockwork to avoid the emergence of drug-resistant HIV. Treatment is also very expensive. And people living with HIV—even those being treated successfully—are at a higher risk for certain age-related diseases earlier in life, including some cancers, cardiovascular
Myth #2: HIV-positive women can’t have HIV-negative children. Truth: It’s possible for an HIV-positive woman to deliver an HIV-negative baby. If an HIV-positive woman is in care and on certain types of medications, the risk of passing HIV to her baby can be less than two percent.
Myth #3: I’m not gay and have never slept with someone who is gay or bisexual so I can’t have HIV/AIDS. Truth: HIV/AIDS isn’t a disease
that affects only gay people. In fact, of the estimated number of HIV/AIDS cases that were reported in 2007 in the United States, 32 percent were transmitted through heterosexual contact. Anyone can have HIV/AIDS.
Myth #4: I’m married and in a monogamous relationship so I’m not at risk for HIV/AIDS. Truth: Given the rate of infidelity, marriage is a risk factor for HIV/ AIDS since many married couples don’t use condoms. Plus, many couples don’t get tested before getting married. So, it’s possible that one partner,or both,could have
contracted HIV before the marriage. Everyone should get regularly screened for HIV/AIDS.
Myth #5: You can get HIV from hugging people who have the virus, from kissing them, from swimming in a pool with them and from drinking out of the same glass. Truth: None of these things transmit HIV. Nor does sharing a hair brush, makeup brush, towel, bed or pillow. However, it’s probably best to avoid sharing a toothbrush or a razor with someone who is HIV positive because of the possibility of exposed cuts or sores.
Los cincos mitos principales sobre el VIH/SIDA—refutación Mito No 1: Tener VIH ya no es tan problemático. La verdad: El VIH sigue siendo una enfermedad grave y potencialmente mortal. El tratamiento del VIH puede producir efectos secundarios, algunos de los cuales pueden ser difíciles de tolerar y hasta debilitantes. Además, el tratamiento del VIH es un compromiso para toda la vida, y los medicamentos deben tomarse “puntualmente como un reloj” para evitar el desarrollo de VIH resistente a los medicamentos. El tratamiento también es muy caro. Y las personas que viven con el VIH (incluso aquellos que tienen éxito con el tratamiento) corren un riesgo mayor de padecer ciertas enfermedades relacionadas con el envejecimiento, a una edad más temprana,
incluyendo cánceres, enfermedad cardiovascular y debilitamiento de los huesos.
Mito No 2: Las mujeres VIH positivas no pueden tener hijos VIH negativos. La verdad: Es posible para una mujer VIH positiva dar a luz a un bebé VIH negativo. Si una mujer VIH positiva recibe atención médica y ciertos tipos de medicamentos, el riesgo de pasar el VIH a su bebé pude ser menor que el 2 por ciento.
Mito No 3: Yo no soy gay y nunca me he acostado con alguien que sea gay o bisexual por lo tanto no puedo tener VIH/SIDA. La verdad: El VIH/SIDA no es una
enfermedad que sólo afecta a las personas gay. De hecho, el 32 por ciento del número estimado de casos de VIH/SIDA que fueron reportados en 2007 en los Estados Unidos, fueron a través de contacto heterosexual. Cualquiera puede tener VIH/SIDA.
Mito No 4: Estoy casado/a y en una relación monógama, por lo tanto no corro el riesgo de contraer VIH/SIDA. La verdad: Dadas las tasas de infidelidad, el matrimonio es un factor de riesgo para el VIH/SIDA ya que muchas de las parejas casadas no usan condones. Además, muchas parejas no se hacen la prueba antes de casarse. Entonces, es posible que uno, o ambos integrantes de la pareja, pudiera haber contraído el
VIH antes de casarse.Todo el mundo debería hacerse la prueba, con regularidad para detectar el VIH/SIDA.
Mito No 5: Puedes contraer el VIH al abrazar a personas que tienen el virus, al besarlas, o al nadar en la misma piscina que ellos y al beber del mismo vaso. La verdad: Ninguna de esas cosas transmite el VIH. Tampoco se transmite al compartir el cepillo del cabello, el pincel para el maquillaje, toallas, la cama ni las almohadas/almohadones. Sin embargo, quizás sea mejor no compartir un cepillo de dientes o una maquinilla de rasurar con alguien que sea VIH positivo debido a la posibilidad de cortes o heridas.
Also in 2006, the rate of new infections among Latino men was three times that of white men—and the rate among Latina women was five times that of white women. And HIV/AIDS was the fourth leading cause of death among Latino men and women ages 35 to 44. More than 2 in 5 Latinos who test HIV positive receive an AIDS diagnosis within one year.
estadísticas
Un panorama del VIH/ SIDA en la comunidad latina Hoy en día, más personas que nunca antes están viviendo con el VIH/SIDA, se estima que esto incluye más de 1.2 millones de personas en los Estados Unidos y 33 millones a nivel mundial. De los 1.2 millones de estadounidenses que se estima viviendo con el VIH/SIDA, uno de cada cinco de ellos no sabe que está viviendo con el virus. En 2006, aproximadamente el 15 por ciento de la población de Estados Unidos eran latinos, pero representaban el 17 por ciento de los casos nuevos de VIH/SIDA en los Estados Unidos. Además, en 2006 la taza de infecciones nuevas entre hombres latinos era tres veces mayor que la de los hombres blancos y la taza entre las mujeres latinas era cinco veces mayor que la de las mujeres blancas. El VIH/SIDA era la cuarta causa principal de muerte entre los hombres y las mujeres latinos/as entre 35 y 44 años de edad. Más de 2 de cada 5 latinos que prueben VIH positivo reciben un diagnóstico de SIDA dentro de un año.
8 · October 2010
An independent supplement by Mediaplanet to the Miami Herald
defining hiv and aids prevention
How to protect yourself and your loved ones from HIV HIV is preventable if you take these simple steps. Practicing safer sex not only protects you—from HIV, additional strains of the virus if you’re already infected, other sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies—it also protects your partner. Short of total abstinence, safer sex is the best way to protect against transmitting—and contracting—HIV.Condoms should be used for both anal and vaginal sex with all sexual partners except those with whom you have a long-term monogamous relationship and whose HIV status you know for certain. Unprotected vaginal and anal sex are the highest risk behaviors for transmitting HIV, other than using contaminated needles. The key is protection from genital fluids and blood. Other sexual activity, such as oral sex, can expose a person to HIV, but the risk is far less than it is for vaginal and anal sex. And the risk is even higher for those on the receiving end of vaginal and anal sex. If you are living with HIV, it is legally required in some states that you disclose your HIV status before potentially exposing someone to HIV. Many states have severe legal penalties for nondisclosure of HIV before engaging in sexual acts. For more information on how to prevent getting or spreading HIV,visit poz.com.
Cómo protegerte a ti mismo y a tus seres queridos del VIH El VIH se puede prevenir si tomas estas simples medidas. Practicar sexo seguro no sólo te protege a ti (del VIH, de otras cepas del virus si ya estás infectado, de otras infecciones de transmisión sexual, y de embarazos no planeados), sino que también protege a tu pareja. Seguido de no practicarse una abstinencia completa, el sexo seguro es la mejor manera de protegerse para no transmitir (y no contraer) el VIH. Los condones deben ser usados tanto para el sexo anal como vaginal con todas las parejas sexuales, excepto con aquellos con los que tienes una relación monógama a largo plazo y de quien conoces el estado de VIH con certeza. El sexo vaginal y anal sin protección son las conductas de más alto riesgo para transmitir el VIH, aparte del uso de agujas contaminadas. La clave es protegerse de los fluidos genitales y de la sangre. Otras actividades sexuales, como el sexo oral, pueden exponer a la persona al VIH, pero el riesgo es mucho menor que para el sexo vaginal y anal. El riesgo es aún mayor para aquellos que son penetrados durante el sexo vaginal y anal. Si estás viviendo con el VIH, en algunos estados se exige que comuniques tu estado de VIH antes de potencialmente exponer a alguien al VIH. En muchos estados hay consecuencias legales graves por no divulgar el estado de VIH antes de involucrarse en una práctica sexual. Para más información sobre cómo prevenir la infección o transmisión del VIH,visita poz.com.
Jesus Sanchez Miami, Florida Diagnosed in 2007 “I realize that [I might not have gotten HIV] if someone who was my age had told me, ‘Hey, this can happen to you, don’t be so naïve!’” Miami, Florida Diagnosticado en 2007 “Me doy cuenta de que [quizás no hubiera contraído el VIH] si alguien de mi misma edad me hubiera dicho, ‘¡Oye, esto te puede pasar a ti, no seas tan ingenuo!” Photo Credit: Brian Smith
HIV and AIDS: the basics—and the distinction If you have HIV, you may not have, or ever get, AIDS. But if you have AIDS, then you are HIV positive. In short, HIV is the virus that can cause AIDS. But being HIV positive doesn’t mean that you will necessarily get sick or die of an AIDS-related illness. AIDS stands for “acquired immune deficiency syndrome.” “Acquired” means that the disease doesn’t occur naturally in the body, but develops after contracting something that can cause the disease—in this case, HIV. “Immune deficiency” means that it is associated with a weak-
ening of the body’s immune system. “Syndrome” refers to a group of health problems that make up a disease. HIV stands for “human immunodeficiency virus.” The virus, discovered in 1984 as the cause of AIDS, is most commonly spread through the exchange of bodily fluids during sexual contact or by reusing an HIV-positive person’s drug-injection equipment. Babies born to HIV-positive women can contract the virus before or during birth, or through breast-feeding after birth. HIV can also be spread through transfusions of donated blood, organs, tissue or blood clotting factors.
However, this is now very rare in the United States and other countries where blood products and tissue are screened for HIV. HIV attacks the immune system, notably its CD4 cells (also known as T cells or T-helper cells). CD4s are white blood cells that command other white blood cells to fight disease. If HIV kills enough CD4 cells, the immune system loses its ability to protect the body from serious infections and cancers. These are called “opportunistic infections” (OIs) because they take advantage of a weakened immune system. People don’t actually die of AIDS, but rather of the OIs that can
develop and prove very difficult to treat in people with suppressed immune systems. Being HIV positive is not the same as having AIDS. Many people are HIV positive—meaning that they have HIV—but don’t get sick for many years. Without treatment, it can take 10 to 12 years for a person to progress to AIDS from the time of infection. With care and treatment, HIV progression can be delayed or reversed—but not cured—for many years. Today, people with HIV who consistently take effective medication can expect to live a nearly normal lifespan. For more information on HIV/ AIDS,visit poz.com.
El VIH y el SIDA: Lo básico y la diferencia Si tienes VIH, quizás no tengas, y nunca llegues a tener SIDA. Pero si tienes SIDA, eres VIH positivo. En pocas palabras, el VIH es el virus que puede causar SIDA. Pero ser VIH positivo no significa que necesariamente te enfermarás o morirás de una enfermedad relacionada con el SIDA. SIDA quiere decir “síndrome de inmuno-deficiencia adquirida.” “Síndrome” se refiere a un grupo de problemas de la salud que en conjunto son una enfermedad. “Inmuno-deficiencia” significa que está asociado con el debilitamiento del sistema inmunológico del cuerpo. “Adquirida” significa que la enfermedad no ocurre naturalmente en el cuerpo, pero que se
desarrolla después de contraer algo que puede causar la enfermedad, en este caso, el VIH. VIH quiere decir “virus de inmuno-deficiencia humana.” El virus, que en 1984 se descubrió que era la causa del SIDA, se disemina comúnmente a través del intercambio de fluidos corporales durante la actividad sexual o al volver a usar los instrumentos que usa una persona VIH positiva para inyectarse drogas. Los bebés de madres VIH positivas pueden contraer el virus antes o durante el parto, o después del parto, a través de la lactancia. El VIH también se puede transmitir a través de transfusiones de sangre, órganos, tejidos o factores coagulantes de la sangre que hayan sido donados. Sin embargo, ésto es muy raro en la actualidad en los Estados
Unidos y en otros países donde los productos derivados de la sangre y los tejidos son analizados para detectar el VIH. El VIH ataca el sistema inmunológico, particularmente a las células CD4 (también conocidas como células T o células T-ayudantes). Las CD4 son glóbulos blancos que controlan a otros glóbulos blancos para combatir enfermedades. Si el VIH destruye suficientes células CD4, el sistema inmunológico pierde su capacidad para proteger al cuerpo de infecciones graves y cánceres. Éstas se llaman “infecciones oportunistas” (IO) porque se aprovechan de un sistema inmunológico debilitado. En realidad, las personas no mueren de SIDA, sino de las infecciones oportunistas que pueden desarrollarse y que resultan ser
muy difíciles de tratar en las personas con sistemas inmunológicos debilitados. Ser VIH positivo no es lo mismo que tener SIDA. Muchas personas son VIH positivas (lo que significa que tienen el VIH (pero no se enferman por muchos años). Sin tratamiento, puede tardar de 10 a 12 años desde el momento de infectarse hasta que una persona desarrolle SIDA. Con atención médica y tratamiento, se puede demorar o revertir el avance del VIH por muchos años (pero no se puede curar). Hoy en día, las personas con VIH que toman medicamentos eficaces de manera consistente pueden tener una expectativa de vida prácticamente normal. Para más información sobre VIH/ SIDA,visita poz.com.
An independent supplement by Mediaplanet to the Miami Herald
October 2010 · 9
know your status protect yourself The lifesaving power of PEP
Did the condom break, or did you not use one? Were you stuck with a needle, or did you share one? It’s still possible to prevent HIV. Post-exposure prophylaxis, or PEP, involves taking HIV medications for 28 days after a high-risk exposure to the virus, notably unprotected vaginal or anal sex with someone who is either positive or whose HIV status you don’t know. It’s an approach that is used by health care workers when they are accidentally stuck with a needle. To be most effective, PEP should be started immediately after possible exposure, waiting no more than 72 hours.To protect yourself or your partner, contact your health care provider or nearest emergency room as soon as possible and ask for PEP.
El poder salvavida de PPE
Luz de Jesus Roman Bronx, New York Diagnosed in 2004 “Be smart and get educated. Don’t be afraid. [Knowing your status means] you can prevent other people from getting infected.” Ciudad de Nueva York Diagnosticada en 2004 “Sé inteligente y edúcate. No tengas miedo. [Conocer tu estado significa que] puedes prevenir que otras personas se infecten.” Photo Credit: Bill Wadman
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living longer. The most common diagnostic tool for HIV infection is a blood test called the ELISA or EIA. It detects proteins created by the immune system to fight infections. If your first test is positive or indeterminate, your blood will be tested a second time using a more sensitive test known as the Western blot. If that test is also positive, it means you have the virus. If you have blood drawn for an HIV test, it can take between one and two weeks to learn the results. Rapid HIV tests that give an answer in as little as 20 minutes
are also available. They use either a swab gently scraped on the inside of your cheek or blood from a finger prick. A positive rapid test needs to be confirmed by a standard blood test. HIV is invisible. People can be HIV positive and not look sick at all. There is a period of time between initial infection and when antibodies to the virus become detectable in the blood. A person will not test positive for HIV if his or her body hasn’t had a chance to develop antibodies to HIV. So it could be weeks after possible exposure to the virus before a test result will detect HIV
antibodies. If your test is negative and you haven’t had unprotected sex with a partner of unknown status or shared drug injection equipment before, you are likely HIV negative. Parents should also test their children for HIV. Reports show some kids are engaging in sexual activity as young as 11 years old. Given that 34 percent of all new HIV cases in America were in people ages 13 to 29, it is critical that children, teens and young adults get tested regularly for HIV. To find an HIV testing facility near you, visit poz.com/directory and just type in your zip code.
Cómo la prueba del VIH puede salvarte la vida Hacerse la prueba del VIH es fácil, gratis y no duele. Y conocer tu estado puede ayudarte a tener una vida larga y sana. Si alguna vez tuviste (aunque solo haya sido una vez) sexo sin condones, compartiste los instrumentos que usó otra persona para inyectarse drogas o recibiste una transfusión de sangre o un transplante antes de 1985, deberías hacerte la prueba del VIH. Puede llevar tan solo 20 minutos, no duele, puede ser gratis y anónima (y puede llegar a salvarte la vida).Al igual que con muchas de las enfermedades que pueden ser mortales, la detección temprana del VIH puede aumentar tus posibilidades de vivir más años.
La herramienta más común de diagnóstico de la infección con el VIH es una prueba de sangre llamado ELISA o EIA. Si donas sangre para la prueba del VIH, puede cojer entre una y dos semanas para saber los resultados. Detecta proteínas fabricadas por el sistema inmunológico para combatir infecciones. Si tu primera prueba da un resultado positivo o indeterminado, tu sangre será analizada por segunda vez usando una prueba más sensible conocida como Western blot. Si esta prueba también es positiva, significa que tienes el virus. También está disponible una prueba rápida del VIH que da resultados en tan solo 20 minutos. Esta prueba usa ya sea un hisopo que se frota en la parte interna de la
mejilla o usa sangre obtenida de un pinchazo en el dedo. Una prueba rápida positiva debe ser confirmada por una prueba estándar de sangre. El VIH es invisible. Las personas pueden ser VIH positivas y no lucir enfermas para nada. Existe un período de tiempo entre la infección inicial y el momento en que los anticuerpos del virus se pueden detectar en la sangre. Una persona no recibirá un resultado positivo para el VIH si su cuerpo no ha tenido la oportunidad aún de desarrollar los anticuerpos contra el VIH que se detectan en una prueba de VIH. Por lo que pueden pasar semanas después de una posible exposición al virus antes de que la prueba pueda detectar los anticuerpos contra el VIH. Si tu prueba resulta negativa y no has tenido
sexo sin protección con una pareja de quien desconozcas su estado de VIH, ni has compartido instrumentos para inyectarte drogas, posiblemente seas VIH negativo. Los padres deberían hacerle la prueba del VIH a sus hijos. Informes demuestran que los niños participan en actividades sexuales a una edad tan temprana como los 11 años de edad. Debido a que el 34 por ciento de todos los nuevos casos de SIDA en Estados Unidos ocurrieron en personas entre 13 y 29 años de edad, es crítico que los niños, adolescentes y adultos jóvenes se hagan la prueba del VIH regularmente. Para encontrar un lugar dónde hacerte la prueba del VIH cerca tuyo, visita poz.com/directory y simplemente ingresa tu código postal.
¿Se rompió el condón, o no usaste uno? ¿Te pinchaste con una aguja, o la compartiste? Aún es posible prevenir el VIH. La profilaxis post-exposición o PPE (PEP,siglas en inglés) consiste en tomar medicamentos para el VIH durante 28 días después de una exposición de alto riesgo al virus, particularmente sexo vaginal o anal sin protección con alguien que sea VIH positivo o de quien no se sabe su estado de VIH. Es un abordaje usado por los trabajadores del área de la salud cuando se pinchan accidentalmente con una aguja. Para que sea eficaz, la PPE se debe comenzar inmediatamente después de la posible exposición y no esperar más de 72 horas. Para proteger a tu pareja y a ti, comunícate con tu proveedor de atención médica o con la sala de emergencia más cercana lo antes posible y solicita la PPE.
disclosure Disclosing your HIV status is a big decision. After you’ve decided to tell someone, consider this: ■■Disclose in a safe and perhaps public place.Some people may react disrespectfully or violently to the news.Pick a location where you will be able to get help if that happens. ■■Be sure you can trust the people you tell. Telling people indiscriminately may affect your life in ways you haven’t considered. ■■Keep it simple. Only tell people what you’re comfortable disclosing. ■■Be prepared with information.It can be helpful to give them a copy of POZ, links to POZ.com or the phone number of an AIDS hotline. ■■If people reject you, they’re really rejecting HIV, not you. You don’t have anything to apologize for simply because you are HIV positive.Many people you tell will be supportive. ■■There’s no perfect roadmap for how to disclose.Trust your instinct, not your fears. Millions of people have found their way through this experience; you will too. Revelar su estado serológico es una gran decisión. Después de que hayas decidido a decirle a alguien, considere lo siguiente: ■■Divulgar en un lugar seguro y tal vez en público. Algunas personas pueden reaccionar violentamente o con falta de respeto a la noticia. Escoja un lugar donde tu podrá obtener ayuda si eso pasa. ■■Esté seguro que tu puedes confiar en la gente. Decirselo a la gente de manera indiscriminada puede afectar tu vida en formas que no has considerado. ■■Debe ser sencillo. Sólo dile a la gente lo que tu te sientes cómodo revelar. ■■Esté preparado con información. Puede ser útil darles una copia de POZ, enlaces a POZ.com o el número de teléfono de una línea directa para información de SIDA. ■■Si la gente te rechaza, realmente están rechazando el VIH, no tú. Tu no tienes nada que pedir disculpas por simplemente ser VIH positivo. Muchas de la personas será de apoyo. ■■No hay un camino perfecto para la manera de divulgar.Confíe en tu instinto, no tus miedos. Millones de personas han encontrado su camino a través de esta experiencia; tu también lo hara.
10 · october 2010
An Independent supplement by medIAplAnet to the mIAmI herAld
live lONg AND stRONg resources Miami has an abundance of resources for the HIV/AIDS community. Whether you’re looking to get an HIV test or need to access care and treatment, you can find an organization near you by searching the POZ Health Services Directory at directory.poz. com. It’s important to remember that you are entitled to receive anonymous or confidential information and testing, regardless of where you live or whether you’re a legal U.S.resident. Here are a few organizations that provide HIV testing and services in the Miami area:
Borinquen Health Center 3601 Federal Highway Miami,FL 33137-3795 305-576-6611 www.borinquenhealth.org
Care resource 3510 Biscayne Blvd.,Suite 300 Miami,FL 33137-3851 305-576-1234 www.careresource.org
Mercy Hospital Special Immunology Services 3663 S.Miami Ave.,Suite 3616 Miami,FL 33133-4237 305-285-2994 www.mercymiami.org
Miami Beach Community Health Center Stanley C.Myers Center 710 Alton Road Miami Beach,FL 33139-5504 305-538-8835 www.miamibeachhealth.org JéSuS AGuAiS New York City 1988 Diagnosed in 1998 “the medications have improved the quality of life [for] people living with HiV, but they have also created a false sense of security. People think that because there are antiretrovirals, they can have unprotected sex.”
South Florida AiDS Network (SFAN) Jackson Medical Hospital 1611 NW 12th Ave.,1st Floor Miami,FL 33136-1005 305-585-5241 www.jhsmiami.org/body.cfm?id=165
Ciudad de Nueva York 1988 Diagnosticado en 1998 “los medicamentos han mejorado la calidad de vida [para] las personas que viven con el ViH, pero también han creado una falsa sensación de seguridad. las personas piensan que porque existen los antirretrovirales, pueden tener sexo sin protegerse.”
recursos Miami tiene abundantes recursos para la comunidad del VIH/SIDA. Ya sea que quieras hacerte la prueba del VIH o que necesites acceder a la atención médica y tratamiento, podrás encontrar una organización cerca tuyo haciendo una búsqueda en el Directorio de Servicios para la Salud de POZ en directory.poz.com. Es importante que recuerdes que tienes derecho a recibir información y la prueba del VIH de manera anónima o confidencial, independientemente de dónde vivas o de si eres un residente legal de los Estados Unidos. A continuación listamos algunas organizaciones que realizan la prueba del VIH y proveen servicios en el área de Miami:
Borinquen Health Center (Centro de Salud Borinquen) 3601 Federal Highway Miami,FL 33137-3795 305-576-6611 www.borinquenhealth.org
Care resource 3510 Biscayne Blvd., Suite 300 Miami,FL 33137-3851 305-576-1234 www.careresource.org
Hospital Mercy—Special immunology Services Servicios de Inmunología Especial 3663 S.Miami Ave.,Suite 3616 Miami,FL 33133-4237 305-285-2994 www.mercymiami.org
Miami Beach Community Health Center (Centro de Salud Comunitario de Miami Beach) Stanley C. Myers Center 710 Alton Road Miami Beach,FL 33139-5504 305-538-8835 www.miamibeachhealth.org
South Florida AiDS Network o SFAN (red de SiDA del Sur de Florida) Jackson Medical Hospital 1611 NW 12th Ave.,1er piso Miami,FL 33136-1005 305-585-5241 www.jhsmiami.org/body.cfm?id=165
Photo Credit: Kevin MCderMott
surviving and thriving Being diagnosed with HiV is no longer necessarily a death sentence. there are now more than two dozen HiV medications (known as antiretrovirals, or ArVs) that can help people living with HiV stay alive and healthy. HIV treatment works. Because HIV mutates rapidly and is skillful at developing resistance to available medications, a combination of ARVs from different classes of drugs is used to attack the virus in different stages of its life cycle. This doesn’t mean that trea-
ting HIV is easy. Once ARV therapy is started, it is generally continued for life. This can seem particularly daunting, especially when therapy might cause side effects—increases in fat and sugar levels in the blood, body shape changes and liver problems, to name a few. And to avoid the development of drug resistance, people must adhere strictly to their treatment regimen without missing doses. Not to mention the costs of treatment, especially if you don’t have health insurance and/or a prescription plan.
Luckily, there are government assistance programs— such as Medicaid, Medicare and the AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs)—as well as cost-cutting plans offered by some pharmaceutical companies to help offset the cost of lifesaving medications. Fortunately, many new drugs are much easier to tolerate than their earlier predecessors. Many people are able to take a single tablet containing three different drugs once each day. But there is no one right regimen; each person must decide with his or her doctor which regimen is best.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services— the federal agency overseeing health care policy in America— currently recommends that people start ARV therapy when their CD4 count—the amount of white blood cells targeted by HIV—is 500 or below (a normal CD4 count is between 500 and 1,200.) For a list of what to do if you’ve just tested positive and for tips on selecting an HIV/ AIDS doctor, visit poz.com. The earlier you detect the virus and start treatment, the greater your chances for survival.
sobreviviendo y prosperando Ser diagnosticado con el ViH ya no es necesariamente una sentencia de muerte. Ahora existen más de dos docenas de medicamentos para el ViH (conocidos como antirretrovirales o ArV) que pueden ayudar a que las personas que viven con el ViH se mantengan vivas y sanas. El tratamiento del VIH funciona. Debido a que el VIH muta rápidamente y es hábil para desarrollar resistencia a los medicamentos disponibles, una combinación de ARV de diferentes clases de medicamentos se usa para atacar al virus en diferentes etapas de su ciclo de vida.
Esto no significa que el tratamiento del VIH sea fácil. Una vez que se comienza la terapia ARV, generalmente se continúa de por vida. Esto puede ser particularmente arduo, especialmente porque la terapia puede causar efectos secundarios (aumentos en los niveles de grasa y azúcar en la sangre, cambios en la forma del cuerpo y problemas de hígado, para nombrar algunos). Y para evitar el desarrollo de resistencia a los medicamentos, las personas se deben adherir estrictamente a su régimen de tratamiento sin saltearse ninguna dosis. Y esto sin contar los costos del tratamiento, especialmente si no tiene seguro médico ni un plan para obtener
medicamentos. Afortunadamente, existen programas gubernamentales de asistencia (como Medicaid, Medicare y el Programa de Asistencia para Medicamentos o ADAP, por sus siglas en inglés), al igual que planes ofrecidos por algunas compañías farmacéuticas para ayudar a compensar el costo de medicamentos que salvan vidas. Afortunadamente, muchos medicamentos nuevos son mucho más fáciles de tolerar que sus predecesores. Muchas personas pueden tomar una sola tableta que contiene tres medicamentos diferentes una sola vez al día. Pero no existe ningún régimen perfecto; cada persona debe decidir con su doctor cuál
régimen es mejor. El Departamento de Salud y Servicios Humanos de Estados Unidos (la agencia federal que supervisa las políticas de salud de Estados Unidos) actualmente recomienda que las personas comiencen la terapia con ARV cuando el recuento de CD4 (la cantidad de glóbulos blancos que el VIH ataca) es de 500 ó menos (un recuento normal de CD4 es de 500 a 1,200). Para obtener una lista sobre qué hacer si acabas de recibir un diagnóstico positivo y para leer consejos acerca de cómo seleccionar un doctor de VIH/SIDA, visita poz.com. Cuanto antes detectes el virus y trates a tu cuerpo, mayores son tus posibilidades de supervivencia.
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An independent supplement by Mediaplanet to the Miami Herald
October 2010 · 11
positive hero resources POZ.com offers many resources for people living with—and those affected by—HIV and AIDS. In addition to covering national and international HIV/AIDS news, POZ.com also provides a platform for the HIV/AIDS community to share their stories,experiences and expertise to improve the quality of life for those fighting the disease. Whether you’re newly diagnosed,a long-term survivor or just looking for information about the disease, POZ.com has the information and support you need. Here are some of the resources available on the site:
Blogs First-person stories of life with HIV/AIDS
POZ Personals An online dating community with more than 110,000 members
Forums A 24-hour discussion area for people living with HIV/AIDS and others concerned about the disease
Newly Diagnosed Guide PEDRO JULIO SERRANO New York City Diagnosed in 1994 “I’ve learned that I am stronger than a tiny virus. It lives with me, but it doesn’t rule me.” Ciudad de Nueva York Diagnosticada en 1994 “He aprendido que soy mucho más fuerte que un virus diminuto. El virus vive en mi, pero no me controla.” Photo credit: Steve Morrison
POZ Q&A: Pedro Julio Serrano Pedro Julio Serrano has been an advocate for people living with HIV/AIDS and for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community for more than a decade. Serrano lives in New York City and works as the communications manager of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, whose mission is to build the grassroots power of the LGBT community. The 36-year-old was the first openly HIV-positive and openly gay person to run for public office in Puerto Rico, where he was born and raised. He founded Puerto Rico Para Tod@s (Puerto Rico for All), an LGBT equality and social justice group. After the brutal murder of Jorge Steven López Mercado, a gay teenager who was an HIV/AIDS
activist in Puerto Rico, Serrano advocated with media and law enforcement on behalf of the López Mercado family. Serrano shares his thoughts with POZ about HIV/AIDS in the Latino community and living with the virus.
What is it like living with HIV? I’ve lived for 17 years with HIV. Unfortunately, there is still a lot of stigma and discrimination associated with HIV. But I’ve learned that I am stronger than a tiny virus. It lives with me,but it doesn’t rule me. HIV (which I write as “hiv” because I want to take away all the power the virus has) has given me unexpected strength. I wouldn’t be doing all the human rights activism that I do if it wasn’t for HIV. It made me take care of myself and others. It reminded me of how short life is and that we have to make it valuable.
How do we diminish the role of homophobia in the HIV/ AIDS epidemic? Homophobia has had many negative effects, including inadequate HIV prevention efforts in schools and the undermining of public health initiatives for HIV prevention and research appropriate to high-risk populations. If you don’t have equal rights, if you’re treated as a second-class citizen, it makes you feel that you don’t have a future. It might make you less prone to use a condom, to protect yourself or to get tested. To diminish the role of homophobia, we must end all hate rhetoric. Access to testing, care and counseling must be free of prejudice. Legal equality must be achieved to have LGBT people access their full citizenship.
More than two out of five Latinos who test HIV
positive receive an AIDS diagnosis within one year. What are the barriers to getting Latinos tested for HIV sooner? For some Latinos and Latinas, language is a barrier. When you cannot find a location to get tested where they speak your language, that is a problem. For others, their immigration status also is a barrier. For fear of persecution or prosecution, some Latinos do not get tested.
What advice do you have for people who are thinking about getting tested for HIV or who have just recently tested HIV positive? Knowledge is power. Just knowing your HIV status will make you stronger. If you have just tested HIV positive, know that life goes on and that you can live a healthy, fulfilling life.
La Entrevista POZ: Pedro Julio Serrano Pedro Julio Serrano ha sido un activista/defensor de las personas que viven con el VIH/SIDA y de las comunidades lesbiana, gay, bisexual y transgénero (LGBT) por más de una década.
los medios de comunicación y a la policía en nombre de la familia de López Mercado. Serrano comparte con POZ sus opiniones acerca del VIH/SIDA y de la vida junto con el virus en la comunidad Latina.
¿Cómo es el vivir con el VIH? Serrano vive en la ciudad de Nueva York y trabaja como jefe de comunicaciones del National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (Grupo Nacional de Trabajo Gay y Lésbico) cuya misión es construir poder a nivel de las bases de la comunidad LGBT. Tiene 36 años y fue la primera persona abiertamente VIH positiva y gay que se presentó como candidato para un puesto público en Puerto Rico, lugar donde nació y fue criado. Es el fundador de Puerto Rico Para Tod@s, un grupo de igualdad y justicia social LGBT. Después del brutal asesinato de Jorge Steven López Mercado, un adolescente gay que era activista del VIH/SIDA en Puerto Rico, Serrano abogó a
He vivido con el VIH durante 17 años. Lamentablemente, aun existe mucho estigma y discriminación asociados con el VIH. Pero he aprendido que soy mucho más fuerte que un virus diminuto. El virus vive en mi, pero no me controla. El VIH me ha dado una fuerza inesperada (yo lo escribo como “vih” porque quiero quitarle al virus todo el poder que tiene). No estaría haciendo todo el trabajo de activismo que hago en el área de los derechos humanos si no fuera por el VIH. Ha hecho que me cuidara a mi mismo y a los demás. Me recordó qué la vida es corta y que tenemos que valorarla.
¿Cómo podemos disminuir
el rol de la homofobia en la epidemia del VIH/SIDA? La homofobia ha causado muchos efectos negativos, incluyendo esfuerzos inadecuados para prevenir el VIH en las escuelas y al desautorizar las iniciativas de salud pública para prevenir el VIH y las investigaciones apropiadas para las poblaciones en alto riesgo. Si no tienes los mismos derechos, si eres tratado como un ciudadano de segunda clase, te sientes como si no tuvieras futuro. Quizás lo haga a uno menos propenso a usar un condón, a protegerse a uno mismo o a hacerse la prueba. Para disminuir el rol de la homofobia, debemos dejar de usar la retórica del odio. El acceso al diagnóstico, a la atención médica y a la consejería deben estar libres de prejuicios.Se debe lograr la igualdad legal para que las personas LGBT accedan su ciudadanía plena.
Más de dos de cada cinco latinos que reciben un diagnóstico VIH positivo,
reciben un diagnóstico de SIDA dentro del siguiente año. ¿Cuáles son las barreras para que los latinos se hagan la prueba del VIH más temprano? Para algunos latinos y latinas, el idioma es una barrera. Cuando no puedes encontrar dónde hacerte la prueba en un lugar donde hablen tu idioma, ese es un problema. Para otros, el estado inmigratorio también es una barrera. Algunos latinos no se hacen la prueba por miedo a la persecución y al procesamiento.
¿Qué consejos tienes para las personas que piensan hacerse la prueba del VIH o que acaban de recibir un resultado VIH positivo? El conocimiento es poder. Saber el estado de VIH lo hace a uno más fuerte. Si recién recibiste un resultado positivo en la prueba del VIH, debes saber que la vida continúa y que podrás tener una vida sana y plena.
A guide for people who have just found out they are HIV positive
Health Services Directory A comprehensive guide to health care and services
Fact Sheets One-page reference sheets on a variety of topics Go to POZ.com to sign up for the POZ e-mail newsletter. Check out POZ on Facebook, MySpace, YouTube and Twitter.
recursos POZ.com ofrece muchos recursos para las personas que viven con—y los que son afectados por— el VIH y el SIDA. Además de la noticias nacional e internacional del VIH/SIDA, POZ.com también proporciona una plataforma para la comunidad VIH/SIDA para compartir sus historias, experiencias y conocimientos para mejorar la calidad de vida de aquellos que luchan contra la enfermedad. Ya sea nuevamente diagnósticado, un sobreviviente a largo plazo o simplemente en busca de información sobre la enfermedad, POZ.com tiene la información y el apoyo que necesita. Éstos son algunos de los recursos disponibles en el sitio:
Blogs Historias personales sobre el VIH/SIDA
POZ Personals Una comunidad de citas en línea con más de 110,000 miembros
Foros Una zona de discusión 24 horas al día para las personas que viven con VIH/SIDA y personas afectados por la enfermedad
Guía para los Nuevamente Diagnósticados Una guía para la gente que acaba de descubrir que son VIH positivo
Directorio de Servicios de Salud Una guía completa para los servicios de cuidado de la salud
Hojas Páginas de referencia sobre una variedad de temas Visite a POZ.com para inscribirse en el boletín de POZ de correo electrónico.Echa un vistazo a POZ en Facebook, MySpace, YouTube y Twitter.
www.nlaad.org
Tibotec Therapeutics, a division of Centocor Ortho Biotech Products, L.P., is pleased to support the National Latino AIDS Awareness Day (NLAAD).