HIV stigma lingers in U.S.

Elizabeth Cohen reports on the stigma of HIV/AIDS more than 25 years after the epidemic came to the United States.

24-year-old Antron Reshaud knows a thing or two about stigma.

"I found out that I was HIV positive around 2004, when my mother found out, it was just one of the reasons why she decided to put me out."

Reshaud was diagnosed in the age of 20, and the discrimination began almost immediately.

"It just hurts me so much when I hear the things, you know, the stories about how people are constantly kept at homes or how they have to go to work and there, you know, may find out they are fired from their jobs because they happen to be positive. "

It's 2008, more than 25 years into the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and still people who are infected are often unable to avoid the stigma that's around this disease.

"It's a matter of pure ignorance, it's a matter of prejudice."

Frank Oldham is the President and CEO of the National Association of people with AIDS. He says that prejudice is deeply rooted in the belief that AIDS is still a gay disease, and the consequences can be fatal.

"It accesses a barrier to people getting tested, in their HIV test, know their HIV status, and getting into a care treatment. 'Cause they're free to be identified as someone looking // HIV/AIDS."

And for those who don't have the disease.

"There is the fare of contagion, a simple fare becoming infected by HIV, and not release understanding or knowing with in which the disease is transmitted."

Last year, a 3-year-old HIV positive boy was banned from using a public swimming pool and shower in Alabama. A few weeks ago, students at a high school in St. Louis were ostracized when someone connected with their school tested positive for the disease. A survey by the M.A.C Aids Fund finds more than 30% of Americans are uncomfortable working with someone with HIV or AIDS. And that includes healthcare professionals.

"If the doctor doesn't, claims he doesn't know how to treat them, they really don't want to treat them."

One in five Americans with HIV doesn't even know he or she has the disease. When HIV is diagnosed late, the results can be deadly.

"More tha 40% of people who were diagnosed with the HIV in the United States, progressed to full bloom AIDS within a year of their diagnosis."

Reshaud hopes to reduce that number by convincing others to get tested and seek the proper treatment.

Elizabeth Cohen, CNN in Atlanta.

参考中文翻译：

艾滋病进入美国25年来，美国人受尽了这个传染病的耻辱。Elizabeth Cohen报道。

24岁的Antron Reshaud对这种耻辱略知一二。

“2004年的时候，我发现自己艾滋病毒检测呈阳性，当我妈妈发现我患艾滋病时，义无反顾的把我赶来出来。”

Reshaud20岁的时候被确诊患艾滋病时，马上就处处受歧视。

“有人不幸感染艾滋病时，马上就会被公司解雇，不得不每天待在家里。当我听说这些事情时，深受伤害。”

现在已经是2008年，艾滋病进入美国已经25年了，感染艾滋病毒的人还是无法摆脱艾滋病带来的羞辱。

“这纯粹是由于无知和偏见。”

Frank Oldham是国家艾滋病协会的主席和CEO。他说这种偏见根深蒂固，因为人们确信艾滋病是同性恋的疾病，有致命的影响。

“这给人们进行艾滋病毒检测，了解艾滋病毒状况，接受治疗造成很大障碍。因为他们会被认为是感染了艾滋病的人。”

甚至是那些没有患艾滋病的人。

“因为人们害怕被传染，害怕感染艾滋病毒，而不是对艾滋病人表示理解，或者去了解艾滋病毒的传播途径。”

去年，一个呈艾滋病毒阳性的3岁小男孩在阿拉巴马被禁止使用公共游泳池和淋浴。几周前，圣路易斯一所高中的学生被排斥，仅仅因为有人与他们学校的学生接触后呈艾滋病毒阳性反应。由M.A.C救助基金发起的一项调查显示，30%以上的美国人不希望与感染艾滋病毒的人一起工作。其中包括健康护理专家。

“如果医生说他不知道怎样对病人进行治疗，实际上是不想治疗艾滋病人。”

携带艾滋病毒的美国人中，五分之一的人不知道自己感染疾病。如果诊断稍晚可能致命。

“在美国，确诊携带艾滋病毒的人中，40%以上的病人在确诊一年以内就完全感染了艾滋病。”

Reshaud希望大家能够踊跃接受检测，接受适当的治疗来减少这个数字。