Idaho Falls non-profit raises HIV/AIDS awareness

More than 1,500 Idahoans are living with HIV/AIDS.

In Idaho the most common people who contract it are white men who have sex with other men.

However, it’s not only gay men who are affected by the disease.

Heterosexuals and people who use injection drugs are at risk too.

“The main risk is sexually behavior related and so it’s not something that’s necessarily public,” said Jen Walton.

The scary thing is you could have it and not know.

“There really are no symptoms of HIV when you first are infected often people go a-symptamatic,” said Walton.

If you do contract the disease you can experience symptoms like the flu.

“Just like the flu those symptoms go away within a couple of weeks and so unless you test and know specifically that this is what is causing the symptoms you’re not going to know,” said Walton.

The virus slowly destroys your blood cells.

“As it’s slow destroying you don’t know you don’t get sick until it’s to the point where your immune system is so weak that it cannot fight off other common infections such as pneumonia,” said Walton.

While there is no cure there are medications to help people live with the disease.

The CDC recommends everyone get tested at least once in your life.

“Know your status. Piece of mind is the best feeling ever,” said Walton.

Eastern Idaho Public Health is holding a free HIV/AIDS testing clinic Dec. 7 through the 11.