Blood from people who carry human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, was used by a magazine in Germany to print the cover of its latest issue. The Vangardist did so to support Life Ball, an upcoming fundraiser for HIV / AIDS issues in Vienna.

The creative director at Saatchi & Saatchi, Jason Romeyko, worked with The Vangardist to bring the idea into being. His company is a American communication firm, with a global staff exceeding 6,500.

The stunt was created to bring the issues back into public discussion and confront the stigma around the infection and its various conditions. Romeyko said that, except on World AIDS Day, people seldom talk about it anymore, adding that “people feel the problem is solved.”

Three HIV-positive volunteers gave their blood for use as ink. The donors included a young gay man, a mother who received the disease from her husband, and an older straight man.

The actual drawing of blood was done at Austria’s University of Innsbrook. Although the virus apparently would have died 30 minutes after the blood was drawn, pasteurization was done at the university as an extra precaution.

Perhaps the biggest challenge was identifying a printer willing to do the job. Three thousand issues were sent to subscribers and also auctioned off and additional copies were printed without the blood-infused ink. Romeyko said the magazine allows the “issue of HIV” to be held in people’s hands.

HIV / AIDS is the largest infectious killer of humans in the world. The World Health Organization says it is responsible for the deaths of 39 million people since the first case was reported in 1981.