It might come as a surprise to most, but Jackson County is tied for 6th place among Florida counties with the total number of AIDS cases. Health officials say they want to use the 21st annual World Aids Day on December 1st, to send a message. They're hoping to educate more young people about the deadly disease.

Jackson County Health Department Educator Rick Vitale can describe its effect in one word. "Devastating disease? Yeah, pretty much it is."

Vitale has seen more than 400 AIDS patients die since he began his work. "It's one that it just doesn't hit you physically but it affects a person emotionally, financially, it's a very degrading disease, it strips the person of the very human dignity that they possibly could imagine. The HIV virus attacks a person's immune system, making them vulnerable to a host of other medical issues.

"Because your body is breaking down and withering away, your body becomes a host for these opportunistic infections to take over." The virus is carried in the blood stream and is transmitted through the exchange of body fluids. Sexual activity is the most common. "Definitely. It is being transferred through sexual activity."

"Out of 67 counties in the state of Florida, the 2008 HIV/AIDS statistics shows Jackson County tied for 6th in the number of people who tested positive for the disease."

That ranks it higher than Holmes, Washington, Bay, Calhoun, Gulf and Liberty County. The Health Department says they are seeing more of these cases within the younger age demographic. Which is why they are partnering with Chipola College again to offer free testing, using mouth swabs.

"Chipola provides an excellent location for us to find individuals, young adults who are in the target group we're looking for in terms of what we're seeing in new cases of AIDS and HIV," says Administrator William Long.

The Health Department says the best defenses against HIV are abstinence and education. "Know the situation. If you know the enemy so to speak and how to take care of it then you know how to defend yourself from the situation."

The free HIV testing clinic will be on November 30th from 10am to 2pm at Chipola College's Health Science building.