HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus that can be spread through blood, sexual contact and breast milk. Once you contract HIV you will have it for life. HIV attacks the body’s immune system and makes it harder for your body to fight off infections. If left untreated HIV can advance to AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome), which is the last stage of HIV. Even though there is no cure for HIV, there are medications that can help manage the infection. The only way to know your HIV status is to get tested.
The Wyoming Department of Health has resources for those who want to know their HIV status, those who are infected with HIV, those who have a partner that is HIV positive, case managers, and healthcare providers.
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/clinicians/index.html
HIV Prevention & Testing
Today, more tools than ever are available to prevent HIV. You can use strategies such as abstinence (not having sex), never sharing needles, and using condoms the right way every time you have sex. You may also be able to take advantage of HIV prevention medicines such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). If you have HIV, there are many actions you can take to prevent transmitting HIV to others.
KnoWyo offer low or no-cost testing and a free condom locator, find out more at KnoWyo.org.
What Is PrEP?
PrEP, an abbreviation for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, is a daily prescription pill for HIV-negative people who are at risk of getting HIV through sex or injection drug use.
What Does PrEP Do?
When taken daily, PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by more than 90%. Among people who inject drugs, it reduces the risk of getting HIV by more than 70%. When PrEP is combined with regular, correct condom use, the risks go down even more.
Consistent daily use is the only way to ensure the presence of PrEP medicine in your bloodstream, allowing it to successfully block the HIV virus if it enters your system, then prevent it from spreading throughout your body.
Who is PrEP Meant For?
PrEP is meant to be taken by people without HIV (HIV negative) who are at high risk of getting HIV through sex or injection drug use.
If you can answer “yes” to any of the questions below, PrEP may be a good HIV prevention option for you.
- Do you use condoms sometimes or not at all?
- Are you open to consistently taking a daily pill?
- Are you having anal and/or vaginal sex with multiple partners?
- Are you having sex with someone whose HIV status you don’t know?
- Have you injected drugs, shared needles, or been in drug treatment in the past six months?
How Do I Get PrEP?
You can make an appointment with your healthcare provider, or you can complete a self-referral form online.
We partner with the Colorado Health Network (CHN) to provide patients with assistance in navigating access to PrEP medication, including finding a prescriber and coverage for the cost of the medication. Complete a self-referral form.
To find more information on PrEP for HIV prevention go to https://wyprepmatters.com/.
