HIV – what is it?

HIV is short for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It damages the body’s defences (called the immune system). HIV is the virus which can lead to AIDS.

This is how HIV gets its name:

–  Human: Something that only affects humans.
–  Immunodeficiency: This happens when the immune system has been damaged.
–  Virus: A type of germ.

Transmission

HIV is found in semen which means you can get HIV if you fuck without a condom, whether you are giving or receiving. Some men think that a partner will tell them if they have HIV. However, many men do not know they have HIV and so can’t tell you. Approximately 40% of all gay and bisexual men who are infected with HIV do not know it.

You can also catch it from the blood or vaginal fluids of someone with HIV. Below are the three most common ways a person can catch HIV:
–  By having penetrative sex (vaginal or anal) without using a condom, with someone who has HIV or AIDS.
–  By sharing needles or other injecting equipment with someone who has HIV or AIDS.
–  From a mother to her unborn child.

Testing

An HIV test is a simple blood test to discover whether you have been infected with HIV. It looks for antibodies to the virus in your blood which will only be present if you have HIV.

If you have been infected with HIV up to three months before your test, it is unlikely that your body will have produced enough antibodies for the test to detect.

This three month period is often referred to as the “window period”.

To have an HIV test you should contact your local GUM (Genito-Urinary Medicine) clinic. If you choose to have your test at a GUM or specialist sexual health clinic your result will not appear on your GP medical record although, if your test is positive, you will be advised to tell your GP.

Treatment

Not everyone who is HIV positive requires treatment. The decision to start treatment is based on a number of factors including your CD4 count, your HIV Viral load and whether or not you have had any health problems so far that can be attributed to HIV infection.

Your HIV specialist will take all of the above into account, as well as how fast your CD4 count is falling, when recommending whether or not HIV therapy is appropriate. Your own views on whether or not you feel ready to start HIV treatment are obviously also very important and you should make your views clear in your discussions with the HIV team.

Prevention

Using condoms and lube every time you are fucking is a good way to help prevent catching HIV. If you are sharing sex toys you should make sure that they are covered with a condom too!

You should also avoid sharing needles or other drug injecting equipment.

Living with HIV

When the body is infected with HIV, the immune system makes special cells and antibodies to try to fight off the virus. A person is said to be HIV positive if antibodies to HIV have shown up in a blood test. Most people who have HIV look and feel completely healthy. Unless they have an HIV antibody test, they will not know that they have the virus. People who are HIV positive look just like people who are not infected with the virus. You cannot tell by looking at someone if they have HIV.