By STEPHANIE BEECKEN
6 News Reporter
KNOXVILLE (WATE) - A Knoxville man who's been HIV positive for more than 20 years is encouraging others to get tested on National HIV testing Day.
In the U.S., one in five people living with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) don't even know they have it.
Health officials at the Knox County Health Department say if you've had sex, you need to be tested for HIV, even if you don't feel sick. It could lengthen your life and save others, too.
Larry Frampton has lived with HIV for the past 23 years. He was tested in the 1980s after his partner became ill.
"That partner passed away and I had another partner pass away, and I've had 300 friends who've died from this disease," Frampton said.
A couple years after Frampton was diagnosed with HIV, he decided to dedicate his life to educating others about the disease.
"The sooner we find out that someone is HIV infected and get them on treatment, the healthier they are going to be and the longer life they are going to have," Frampton said.
Health officials say early detection can lengthen and improve a patient's life. It can also help slow the spread of the disease, and many people with HIV don't have symptoms.
"Approximately 20% of the people who have this virus don't know it they have it, and those are the people we are trying to find and get them into care," Frampton said.
Health officials say HIV doesn't discriminate. Anyone can get the disease, no matter your age, race, gender or sexual orientation.
"There are a lot of misconceptions out there about HIV that only drug users or gay people or prostitutes get HIV, and that's just not true any more. Anyone can get HIV," Frampton said.
The test is simple. After an oral swab is done, you have the results within 20 minutes.
Frampton says while early detection is very important, the key is prevention. "Take care of yourself. Use safe sex at all times, even if you have a partner it's still a good idea to use safe sex," he said.
You can get free, confidential testing at all Knox County Health Department Clinics. Their hours are 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday-Friday.
A health fair will also be held Saturday at 317 McConnell Street from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
"Approximately 20% of the people who have this virus don't know it they have it, and those are the people we are trying to find and get them into care," Larry Frampton said.
