What is HIV?

HIV stands for the Human Immuno-deficiency Virus. It is a virus that only affects humans and which damages the immune system (makes it deficient) and reduces its ability to fight everyday infections.

When someone is infected with HIV, the virus attaches onto the specific cells in the immune system that help protect us and keep us healthy. It eventually kills off these cells weakening the immune system so that it is unable to fight off infections and other illnesses

What is AIDS?

AIDS Stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. AIDS is a later stage of HIV infection, during which time someone who has the HIV virus develops frequently potential fatal infections and cancers.

Although there is currently no cure for HIV or vaccine available to prevent infection, there are now effective drug treatments that are designed to reduce the amount of HIV in the body, keep the immune system as healthy as possible and help people living with HIV to have long and healthy lives.

These treatments are proving very effective in preventing the development of AIDS related illnesses in people living with HIV.

HIV Transmission

HIV is present in most bodily fluids of infected people. However, in order for HIV to be transmitted from one person to another there has to be a good quality and quantity of virus in a bodily fluid.

Blood, semen, vaginal fluids and breast milk can all have the right quality and quantity of virus to be infectious but there also needs to be a route of transmission for the virus in these fluids to get into someone’s body.

If someone has HIV, there is not enough HIV virus in their other bodily fluids such as sweat, saliva, tears, nasal mucus, ear wax or urine for these bodily fluids to be infectious. There is absolutely no risk of HIV transmission from coming into contact with any of these fluids.

The main routes of transmission of HIV are:-

• Unprotected anal penetrative intercourse (sex without a condom)
• Unprotected vaginal penetrative intercourse
• Sharing needles and syringes for injecting drugs (such as heroin or steroids)
• Vertical transmission from mother to baby *
• From mother to child during breast feeding

Note*: The development of anti-HIV medication means that the risk of vertical transmission of HIV from mother to baby has been dramatically reduced. This means that most HIV positive women who have access to this treatment have given birth to HIV-negative children. The chances of women on treatment having a baby with HIV is very low ( under 1%).

It is not possible to become infected with HIV through:-

• Touching, hugging or shaking hands
• Kissing
• Sharing cups, glasses, knives, forks, spoons etc.
• Drinking from the same bottle/ can etc.
• Eating food prepared by someone with HIV
• Being sneezed, coughed or spat on
• Using the same toilets or swimming pools
• Insect /animal bites
• Any general social contact with someone living with HIV

HIV Prevention

HIV prevention refers to practices done to prevent the spread of HIV. HIV prevention practices may be done by individuals to protect their own health, the health of their partner(s) and the health of those in their community, or may be instituted by governments or other organisations as public health policies.

Effective methods of HIV prevention include:-

• Condom use for penetrative sexual intercourse (vaginal, anal and oral)
• Safer injecting practice for intravenous drug users (including the provision of needle exchanges)
• Access to treatment and support for pregnant women who are HIV positive *
• Public health campaigns to provide people with factual information about HIV
• HIV testing programmes to identify undiagnosed case of HIV infection
• The provision of appropriate treatment for all people living with HIV – the significant impact of effective HIV treatment in reducing infectiousness means that HIV treatment is itself a form of HIV prevention
• Access to PrEP for those who are eligible

Note* – HIV treatment works by reducing the level of HIV in the body and when this happens, the chances of passing HIV on to a partner are significantly reduced. This does not mean that HIV treatment is a replacement for condoms, but it does give HIV positive people more options for safer sex and reduces overall risk of onward transmission. The earlier HIV is detected, the more likely the treatment will be successful.