HIV/ AIDS

HIV virus

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus that can damage the body’s defence system so that it can’t fight off infections as well as it normally does. Even common diseases like the flu can be fatal to someone who has the virus. When someone with HIV goes on to become ill because of this weakened defence system, the condition is called Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus that causes AIDS.  HIV is a virus that prevents your immune system from fighting off infections, eventually, the presence of HIV can impact on your immune system so greatly that common infections like colds and flu can make you very very ill.  If you have HIV, and have a very weakened immune system (low cd4cells –cells that fight off infections) and have an illness associated with a low-immune system, you would have AIDS.

Progression of illness

There is no cure for the virus itself or for AIDS, but there are cures and treatments for many of the illnesses that people with HIV are prone to. Most people with HIV look and feel healthy for a comparatively long time (sometimes 10 years or more) but can eventually go on to get AIDS.

Means of infection

Worldwide the commonest way of becoming infected is by sex between men and women. In the UK most new infections are among gay and bisexual men but the rate of infection among heterosexual men and women is growing.

There are three main ways in which HIV can be passed on:

To become infected with HIV, 4 things need to happen: (if any one of these 4 things is not present, you cannot become infected with HIV –or any other blood-borne viruses like Hepatitis B or C)

You can't get HIV through:

HIV tests

If you are concerned that you may have put yourself at risk of getting HIV, you might want to think about getting an HIV test.  Most tests are carried out by NHS sexual health (GUM) clinics.  Please note that if you get tested for HIV or Hepatitis or any other STI’s at a GUM clinic, it remains confidential.  If you have the test through your GP, it will be on your medical records that you have had a test as well as the results. Potentially this information may be disclosed to third parties in the event of your application for insurance or visas, where a request can be made for access to your medical history.

Where can I get a test?

Look in the phonebook under:

Or call the National AIDS Helpline free Tel: 0800 567 123 for details of where you can get the test.

NHS sexual health or GUM clinics offer free HIV testing, and screening for other infections. You can go to any clinic in the country and any information you give is kept strictly confidential. You don’t need to have a referral from a GP.

What does the test involve?

If you are tested at an NHS sexual health or GUM clinic you will see a doctor or counsellor in private. They will explain what the test involves and what the result will mean. Then, if you feel that having the test is the right thing for you, a blood sample will be taken and sent to a lab. It can take from a few hours (some clinics offer same day testing by appointment only) to a week or more to get the results back.

The HIV test is called “the HIV Anti-body test”.  They do not look for the virus itself as it’s very very small, but if the virus is present, your body produces “antibodies” and these are much larger and there’s more of them to find.  You do not have the antibodies to an infection, unless you have the infection in the first place.

What does HIV negative mean?

But a single negative test result may not be enough to rely on. It can take up to three months, and occasionally longer, for HIV antibodies to show up in the blood after someone becomes infected. Because of this ‘waiting period’ some people who test negative may be advised to have a repeat test.

What does HIV positive mean?