HIV and AIDS
What is HIV?
HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This is a virus
that, over time, weakens and damages a person’s defence system
(the immune system).
Most people with HIV will look and feel healthy, so you cannot
tell who has the virus and you can pass on HIV without even knowing
you have it.
Over a period of time as the immune system
is weakened it becomes susceptible to a range of
illnesses (often called Opportunistic Infections),
that someone with a strong immune system may be able to fight
off.
Many people are prescribed anti HIV treatment (often
called anti retrovirals) to help keep the HIV infection under
control.
What is AIDS?
AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. It is
sometimes called Advanced HIV disease or infection. This is a
medical term to describe a collection of very specific illnesses or
cancers that occur when a person’s immune system is unable to fight
infection due to HIV damage. People do not die of AIDS but rather
from one of the illnesses that develop as a result of a damaged
immune system
Although today there is no cure or vaccine for HIV, with good
treatment people with HIV are able to lead healthy normal
lives.
How do you get it?
HIV is a blood-borne virus - that means it is reproduced in your
blood cells. It is not easily passed from one person to another as
it is only found in certain body fluids and for infection to happen
you need:
- to come into contact with the particular body fluid of an
infected person and;
- this needs to get into your bloodstream
What body fluids do I need to consider?
- Blood
- Breast milk
- Mucus (Thick Fluid) in the rectum (back passage)
- Seminal Fluid and pre cum
- Vaginal fluids including menstrual fluids
How could I get infected?
- By having vaginal or anal sex without a condom with someone who
is HIV positive
- Sharing needles, syringes or drug injecting equipment with
someone who is HIV positive.
- An HIV positive mother can pass the virus to her
baby during pregnancy, during delivery or through breastfeeding.
(The chance of this can be reduced through the use of anti
retroviral drugs).
- Through blood transfusions or organ transplants. (A large
number of countries including the UK now test the blood before
use).
- In some cases through oral sex when there is poor mouth
hygiene.
Testing for HIV
The only way to know for sure is to have an HIV
test. Some people might develop flu like symptoms such as
a rash on the chest, diarrhoea, swollen glands, or fever a few days
or weeks after infection. However many people infected with HIV
have no signs and symptoms at all. As a result a significant number
of people in the UK do not know that they are infected with
HIV.
There are a number of tests for HIV, they include
blood tests, saliva tests and pinprick tests. All of them are
looking for HIV antibodies that your immune system develops to
fight the virus when HIV enters your body. It can
take up to three months for there to be enough antibodies to
show up on an HIV test. This is sometimes called the window
period. .
If the test results come back and no antibodies are present, you
are said to be HIV negative.
If antibodies are found on the saliva or pinprick test you will
have a blood test to confirm. If antibodies are shown on the
blood test, then you are said to be HIV positive
and this means you have HIV.
Recently Diagnosed
Being diagnosed with HIV will be one of the most significant
events in your life. It’s very difficult to predict exactly what
emotions and feelings you’ll experience in the first few hours and
days after finding out you have HIV, as these vary so widely
from person to person. However, commonly reported reactions
include feeling numb, frightened, upset, tearful, desperate or
angry - although it should be noted that other people have
said they were relieved to have finally found out.
Finding out that you are HIV-positive puts you in a position
where you can start to take steps towards looking after your
health. Although there’s no cure for HIV there are
treatments that mean that people with HIV can live much longer
and healthier lives. The sooner your HIV infection is diagnosed,
the sooner you can receive appropriate medical care.
There is a lot of information and support available for people
who are have recently been diagnosed diagnosed with and are living
with HIV.
Organisations, such as Positive East, provide
one to one as well as group support for people who are newly
diagnosed. They can help support you by answering your
questions.
Do I need to tell anyone that I am HIV
positive?
This is up to you. If you decide to tell people, you might like
to ask yourself:
- Who NEEDS to know?
- What is the benefit to you and or to them by revealing your
status?
- How might it affect your relationship with that person?
The health advisor, clinic nurse or other professional in the
clinic will be able to talk to you about telling people. They can
also give you advice on having children, safer sex practices (ways
of reducing the risk of HIV transmission) and other ways this
condition might affect your life.
Treatment
It is recommended that all people who are diagnosed HIV positive
should have regular monitoring and check ups. This allows the
doctors to see how well your immune system is doing and if you are
developing any illnesses or infections.
Not everyone who is HIV positive needs to go onto anti HIV
treatment. People usually start these when their immune system has
been weakened and needs extra support.
Is there any treatment I can take immediately if I think
I have just come into contact with HIV?
If you are worried that you have been exposed to HIV within the
last 72 hours then taking a short course of anti-HIV drugs may help
to prevent infection. This is known as Post Exposure
Prophylaxis or PEP. You can go to a sexual health clinic
or an A&E department and the doctor or nurse will ask you some
questions and assess whether or not the treatment will be of
benefit to you.