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Posted: September 01, 2011
HIV virus
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Around 100,000 people in the UK will be living with HIV by next year, according to a new House of Lords report.
Here is a 10 point checklist to help you find out more about the disease, how it is can be prevented and what to do if you or someone you know may be infected.
1. What is HIV?
HIV is the abbreviated name for the human immunodeficiency virus. The illness attacks the body's immune system, weakening its natural defence against disease and infection. If the immune system is damaged by HIV, it increases the risk of developing a serious infection or disease, such as cancer.
2. Causes
HIV is spread through the exchange of bodily fluids from an infected person to someone who does not have the disease. Common causes include unprotected sex and drug users sharing needles. The condition can also be spread from a mother to her child at birth.
Other body fluids like saliva, sweat or urine, do not contain enough of the virus to infect another person
3. Most at risk
Anybody can become infected with HIV.
New figures published today by the Health Protection Agency show that In 2010, nearly 70,000 HIV-diagnosed persons were seen for treatment in the UK, a 166% increase from 2001.
Of those people treated for HIV last year, 51% were men or women infected via heterosexual sex, 44% were men infected through sex between men, 2% were infected through injecting drug use and a similar number from mother-to-child.
In 2010, just over half the people accessing HIV care were white, with 74% infected through sex between men. Over one-third of people seen for care were black-African, 93% of whom were infected through heterosexual sex.
4. Prevention
The simplest and most effective way to protect against HIV is to use a condom during sex. Drug users who inject themselves should use new needles and never share equipment with another person.
5. Symptoms
Symptoms of having HIV can include; unintentional weight loss, chronic diarrhoea, skin rashes, an increase in herpes ulcers or thrush infections in your mouth and genitals, sweats, tiredness, nausea or loss of appetite and swollen lymph glands in the neck, groin or armpits.
6. Getting Tested
People can be tested for HIV at their local GP, a private or specialist clinic or a Terence Higgins Trust Fastest Clinic where you can get the results in 20minutes.
The test involves taking blood from the arm or by a pin prick from the finger.
There can be a ‘window’ of three months between becoming infected and the infection showing in the blood.
7. Treatment
There is no cure for HIV but the disease can be managed by drugs. Combination Therapy, taking a combination of three or more drugs can stop HIV from reproducing and allow the immune system to recover.
Post Exposure Prophylaxis, is a course of treatment that, if started within 72 hours of a possible infection, may prevent HIV infection after the virus has entered the body. It can be hard to get hold of but is usually available from a specialist HIV clinic.
8. Living with HIV: Physical
Many people with HIV go on to live with the disease without many alterations to their daily lives. However, treatment must be rigorously adhered to if it is to be effective. People living with HIV are also advised to visit their doctor regularly, eat healthily, take exercise and get regular flu jabs. They also need to take great care to avoid infection
9. Living with HIV: Mental
One of the hardest things about living with HIV can be telling those around you. Attitudes towards people with HIV can vary greatly, from supportive and understanding to rejection and discrimination. This can lead to feelings of anxiety and isolation.
10. Help is at Hand
There now a number of organisations and support groups set up to help.
For more information visit your local GP or contact :
The National Aids Trust, 0845 1221 200, www.nat.org.uk
The Terrence Higgins Trust www.tht.org.uk
Here is a 10 point checklist to help you find out more about the disease, how it is can be prevented and what to do if you or someone you know may be infected.
1. What is HIV?
HIV is the abbreviated name for the human immunodeficiency virus. The illness attacks the body's immune system, weakening its natural defence against disease and infection. If the immune system is damaged by HIV, it increases the risk of developing a serious infection or disease, such as cancer.
2. Causes
HIV is spread through the exchange of bodily fluids from an infected person to someone who does not have the disease. Common causes include unprotected sex and drug users sharing needles. The condition can also be spread from a mother to her child at birth.
Other body fluids like saliva, sweat or urine, do not contain enough of the virus to infect another person
3. Most at risk
Anybody can become infected with HIV.
New figures published today by the Health Protection Agency show that In 2010, nearly 70,000 HIV-diagnosed persons were seen for treatment in the UK, a 166% increase from 2001.
Of those people treated for HIV last year, 51% were men or women infected via heterosexual sex, 44% were men infected through sex between men, 2% were infected through injecting drug use and a similar number from mother-to-child.
In 2010, just over half the people accessing HIV care were white, with 74% infected through sex between men. Over one-third of people seen for care were black-African, 93% of whom were infected through heterosexual sex.
4. Prevention
The simplest and most effective way to protect against HIV is to use a condom during sex. Drug users who inject themselves should use new needles and never share equipment with another person.
5. Symptoms
Symptoms of having HIV can include; unintentional weight loss, chronic diarrhoea, skin rashes, an increase in herpes ulcers or thrush infections in your mouth and genitals, sweats, tiredness, nausea or loss of appetite and swollen lymph glands in the neck, groin or armpits.
6. Getting Tested
People can be tested for HIV at their local GP, a private or specialist clinic or a Terence Higgins Trust Fastest Clinic where you can get the results in 20minutes.
The test involves taking blood from the arm or by a pin prick from the finger.
There can be a ‘window’ of three months between becoming infected and the infection showing in the blood.
7. Treatment
There is no cure for HIV but the disease can be managed by drugs. Combination Therapy, taking a combination of three or more drugs can stop HIV from reproducing and allow the immune system to recover.
Post Exposure Prophylaxis, is a course of treatment that, if started within 72 hours of a possible infection, may prevent HIV infection after the virus has entered the body. It can be hard to get hold of but is usually available from a specialist HIV clinic.
8. Living with HIV: Physical
Many people with HIV go on to live with the disease without many alterations to their daily lives. However, treatment must be rigorously adhered to if it is to be effective. People living with HIV are also advised to visit their doctor regularly, eat healthily, take exercise and get regular flu jabs. They also need to take great care to avoid infection
9. Living with HIV: Mental
One of the hardest things about living with HIV can be telling those around you. Attitudes towards people with HIV can vary greatly, from supportive and understanding to rejection and discrimination. This can lead to feelings of anxiety and isolation.
10. Help is at Hand
There now a number of organisations and support groups set up to help.
For more information visit your local GP or contact :
The National Aids Trust, 0845 1221 200, www.nat.org.uk
The Terrence Higgins Trust www.tht.org.uk
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