Celebrate World AIDS Day: Get Tested

28 years have passed since AIDS was first identified in the U.S.

More Americans than ever are living with the disease, but it's knowledge that's spreading even faster.

At Group Ministries in Buffalo, a place that caters toward recovering drug addicts, David Hariston tests people for HIV, the deadly virus that causes AIDS.

"It's very important to get tested. This virus you can't look at anyone and tell they're infected," said Hariston.

The virus is primarily spread through sexual intercourse, direct contact with infected blood, and from an infected mother to an unborn child.

According to a 2008 report from the AIDS Network of western New York, more than 2,700 people in this region are living with HIV and AIDS.

That number doesn't account for those who have the virus and don't even know it.

Hariston explains, "Sometimes a person can be infected as long as 8, to 10, 12, or 15 years before they start having symptoms."

Group Ministries offers free HIV testing throughout the week.

There are two ways they test for HIV. One is by taking a sample of saliva from inside your mouth.

You can also get tested by getting your finger pricked. Within 10 minutes you know your results, and those results are confidential.

Both test are 99 percent accurate and detect antibodies from the virus.

If one line shows up, that means you don't have the virus, two lines means your HIV positive.

ECMC Chaplain Rev. James Lewis leads a local HIV and AIDS awareness program.

Lewis said, "What I tell people from the pulpit everyday is check yourself before you wreck yourself."
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He says the message on World AIDS day is simple.

"The key to this is to make sure you get tested on the regular basis," said Lewis.

"Unless you protect yourself then you cold be one of the statistics," he adds.

>>Watch here for more information about getting tested.