What is HIV?
HIV stands for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It is a virus which attacks the body's immune system - the body's defence against diseases. When someone is described as living with HIV, they have the HIV virus in their body.
What is AIDS?
AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. A person with HIV is considered to have developed AIDS when the immune system is so weak it can no longer fight off a range of diseases with which it would normally cope.
How is HIV passed on?
HIV can be passed on through infected blood, semen, vaginal fluids, rectal secretions or breast milk.
The most common ways HIV is passed on are:
Is there a cure for HIV?
No, but treatment can keep the virus under control and the immune system healthy. People on HIV treatment can live a healthy, active life – although some may experience side effects from the treatment. If HIV is diagnosed late, treatment is likely to be less effective.
How can I protect myself and others from HIV infection?
Always use a condom when having vaginal or anal sex. You may also want to use a condom or dental dam during oral sex although the risk of transmission of HIV is much lower. You can get free condoms from a sexual health clinic, which you can locate at via the FPA website. Never share needles, syringes or any other injecting equipment.
I don't know anyone with HIV... do I?
Today there are more people than ever before living with HIV in the UK, but many people think they don't know anyone with HIV. But one in four people living with HIV don't know they have it, and even if someone does know they are HIV positive, they may not feel able to tell you. See HIV statistics to find out more about who is living with HIV in the UK.
Did you know?
PEP (Post Exposure Prophylaxis)
PEP is a course of anti-HIV medication that needs to be taken daily over the course of a month. The drugs have been available for HIV prevention since the early-to mid-1990s for health workers who have had 'needle-stick' or similar injuries. More recently, PEP has been made available under strict prescribing guidelines to people who might have been exposed to HIV during sex.The sooner PEP is started, the more effective it is. So you must act quickly if you want to take PEP, within 24 hours of the risk is best and no later than 72 hours (three days).
PEP can cause severe side effects like diarrhoea, nausea and prolonged headaches.
PEP should be available from sexual health clinics and hospital accident and emergency departments. Many men say they have had difficulty obtaining PEP from these places, especially outside metropolitan areas. You are more likely to be successful if you enquire at a sexual health clinic or Accident and Emergency (A&E) department in a hospital where there is also a specialist HIV clinic.
You must also meet the prescribing guidelines for PEP, to find out if you are likely to meet the criteria, use our online self-assessment tool.
PEP has a good chance of stopping someone getting HIV but it's not guaranteed to work and it's not a cure for HIV. Condoms and lube are still the best way of stopping the spread of HIV.
To start learning more about PEP, click here
Useful Websites
World Aids Day
PEP (Drug)
Time line of HIV
Living with HIV
Common Myths
Have you put yourself at risk (Test)?
Real Stories
Princess Diana
FAQ's
Useful resources
HIV stands for the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It is a virus which attacks the body's immune system - the body's defence against diseases. When someone is described as living with HIV, they have the HIV virus in their body.
What is AIDS?
AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. A person with HIV is considered to have developed AIDS when the immune system is so weak it can no longer fight off a range of diseases with which it would normally cope.
How is HIV passed on?
HIV can be passed on through infected blood, semen, vaginal fluids, rectal secretions or breast milk.
The most common ways HIV is passed on are:
- Sex without a condom
- Sharing infected needles, syringes or other injecting drug equipment
Is there a cure for HIV?
No, but treatment can keep the virus under control and the immune system healthy. People on HIV treatment can live a healthy, active life – although some may experience side effects from the treatment. If HIV is diagnosed late, treatment is likely to be less effective.
How can I protect myself and others from HIV infection?
Always use a condom when having vaginal or anal sex. You may also want to use a condom or dental dam during oral sex although the risk of transmission of HIV is much lower. You can get free condoms from a sexual health clinic, which you can locate at via the FPA website. Never share needles, syringes or any other injecting equipment.
I don't know anyone with HIV... do I?
Today there are more people than ever before living with HIV in the UK, but many people think they don't know anyone with HIV. But one in four people living with HIV don't know they have it, and even if someone does know they are HIV positive, they may not feel able to tell you. See HIV statistics to find out more about who is living with HIV in the UK.
Did you know?
- Over a quarter of people with HIV in the UK don't know they are infected
- One in 20 gay men in the UK are living with HIV
- For someone diagnosed with HIV today at 35 (the average age of diagnosis in the UK) life expectancy is over 72
- The most common treatment today for someone diagnosed with HIV early is one or two pills a day
- Lots of people with HIV work and their HIV does not affect their working life
- HIV is not transmitted through normal everyday contact at work, school or in social situations
- HIV is not transmitted by biting, scratching or spitting
- With the right medical help, 99% of HIV positive women give birth to healthy babies without passing on HIV
- HIV affects all ages – one in five people living with HIV in the UK are over 50 and last year one in ten people diagnosed were aged 16 to 24
PEP (Post Exposure Prophylaxis)
PEP is a course of anti-HIV medication that needs to be taken daily over the course of a month. The drugs have been available for HIV prevention since the early-to mid-1990s for health workers who have had 'needle-stick' or similar injuries. More recently, PEP has been made available under strict prescribing guidelines to people who might have been exposed to HIV during sex.The sooner PEP is started, the more effective it is. So you must act quickly if you want to take PEP, within 24 hours of the risk is best and no later than 72 hours (three days).
PEP can cause severe side effects like diarrhoea, nausea and prolonged headaches.
PEP should be available from sexual health clinics and hospital accident and emergency departments. Many men say they have had difficulty obtaining PEP from these places, especially outside metropolitan areas. You are more likely to be successful if you enquire at a sexual health clinic or Accident and Emergency (A&E) department in a hospital where there is also a specialist HIV clinic.
You must also meet the prescribing guidelines for PEP, to find out if you are likely to meet the criteria, use our online self-assessment tool.
PEP has a good chance of stopping someone getting HIV but it's not guaranteed to work and it's not a cure for HIV. Condoms and lube are still the best way of stopping the spread of HIV.
To start learning more about PEP, click here
Useful Websites
World Aids Day
PEP (Drug)
Time line of HIV
Living with HIV
Common Myths
Have you put yourself at risk (Test)?
Real Stories
Princess Diana
FAQ's
Useful resources
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