HIV | human immunodeficiency virus
HIV destroys the ability of the body’s immune cells to function and so over time, people gradually become immunodeficient (unable to fight off infection).1d
AIDS | acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)
When HIV is left untreated, it leads to the disease AIDS – this is the most advanced stage of HIV infection. A person with AIDS is more susceptible to developing a wide range of infections, certain cancers and other severe long-term clinical complications.
HIV is spread through the exchange of body fluids from infected people, such as blood, breast milk, semen and vaginal secretions. HIV can also be transmitted from a mother to her child during pregnancy and birth.1i
HIV is not transmitted through ordinary day-to-day contact such as kissing, hugging, shaking hands, or sharing personal objects, food or water, sharing a toilet, or contact with urine.1i
The progression of HIV infection is generally understood in terms of three main phases:
There are normally two tests that can be done to diagnose and confirm HIV infection.5a HIV testing services is the main entry point to continued HIV care.5b HIV testing can usually be accessed from outpatient clinics, medical, surgical and paediatric wards, emergency units, and maternal/child health clinic services.5c Counselling can be provided before and after you are tested for HIV.5d
You can also buy an HIV testing kit at your nearest pharmacy and self-test at home.3i If you’re positive, it is important to get to your doctor or local clinic as soon as possible.5e
It is important to know your own HIV status so that necessary prevention and/or treatment can be started.5f,g For more information on prevention of HIV infection (pre-exposure prophylaxis and post-exposure prophylaxis): read here.
For any questions and support, The National AIDS Helpline contact details are 0800 012 322.5h
When a person is infected with HIV, the body may take up to 28 days to produce antibodies in high enough levels to be detected by a test. This is called the window period. It is during this time that a person can unknowingly transmit HIV to other individuals who are for example their sexual or drug-sharing partner.1l
All people with HIV should have regular blood tests. The two most important blood tests are for CD4 count and viral load.6a
Antiretroviral medicines suppress the amount of virus in the blood, called viral load:7a
What is viral suppression? When antiretroviral therapy reduces a person’s viral load to an undetectable level. Viral suppression does not mean a person is cured, HIV still remains in the body. If treatment is stopped, the person’s viral load will start to increase again.7b,c
HIV treatment involves taking medicine that reduces the amount of HIV in your body. HIV medicine is called antiretroviral therapy (ART).10a
It is important to know that:
HIV medicine is recommended for all people with HIV – children, adolescents, adults, pregnant and breastfeeding women – regardless of how long they’ve had the virus or how healthy they are.5i,10c
The main goal of ART is to reduce a persons viral load to an undetectable level and restore or preserve immune function which will lead to a reduction in risk of illness and death.8a,b,9a
Patients should be prepared for lifelong ART with good adherence to medications – this is a critical component of achieving effective viral suppression.8c,d
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