Monday is HIV Awareness Day, and the Barton County Health Department would like everyone to know their HIV status.

"It’s one of those things people need to know," said Karen Winklemen, clinical nurse supervisor at BCHD. She encourages people to get tested.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment released the number of people presumed living with HIV/AIDS in the state for 2009, and Barton County ranks 14th out of 105 counties. The number of cases in Barton County is 25 which is higher than the immediate surrounding counties.

Barton County is in Region 7, which are the 31 counties in the northwest portion of the state. Region 7 has had 159 cumulative cases of HIV/AIDS. In this Region, there have been 51 cumulative cases of HIV/AIDS in the 25-34-year-old age group, and 55 cumulative cases in the 35-44-year-old age group. The highest ethnic group with 104 cumulative cases is white, non-Hispanics in this region.

HIV transmission occurs when fluids containing the HIV virus from an infected person enter the body of an uninfected person. HIV is primarily spread through anal, oral or vaginal sex via microscopic rips or tears in the linings of the exposed areas, through sharing needles for injectible drugs, steroids, tattooing or piercing, and multiple sexual partners. It is much easier to get HIV if you have a sexually transmitted disease because of open sores, according to the to the official U.S. Government HIV/AIDs website.

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus which is a virus that damages the immune system. When HIV progresses to AIDS, the immune system becomes so damaged that opportunistic infections and cancer occurs. As early as two to four weeks after acquiring the virus, there are higher levels of the virus circulating in the blood which means that people can more easily transmit the virus to others. HIV/AIDS is not curable, but can be treated.

The BCHD does testing through KDHE for ages 13 and up provided they have the ability to give consent. "It is confidential and anonymous screening," said Winkelman. "KDHE encourages confidential screening so we can get them into treatment earlier.

"It became frightening to look at the numbers (of HIV cases) in our young population," Winkelman said.

The fee at BCHD is on a sliding scale based on income. The test is done on an walk-in basis with no appointment needed.

Results are given in person.

There are times that the district disease intervention specialist from KDHE will be present to start identifying resources immediately.

"Typically, HIV positive individuals go to Wichita for treatment, although there are some outlying clinics" said Winkelman. Dr. Donna Sweet in Wichita treats the patients.

Informing people of a positive HIV status is difficult for Winkelman. "It’s very hard emotionally because you know its going to have an impact on that person for the rest of their life," she said.

More information can be found on HIV/AIDS at www.kdheks.gov.

Breakout

An estimated 56,300 Americans are newly infected with HIV each year. There are approximately 1.1 million Americans who are living with HIV/AIDS, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Cases of HIV/AIDs by county:

Barton 25

Ellis 7

Pawnee 1

Rush 2

Russell 2

Ellsworth 7

Rice 2

Stafford 3

Kingman 1

McPherson 12

Saline 32

Reno 33

Sedgwick 725

Johnson 558

Wyandote 494