HIV and AIDS

The symptoms of HIV are different for everyone. Some people experience a short flu-like illness around 2 to 6 weeks after HIV infection. This can include: a sore throat a high temperature swollen glands muscle aches and tiredness a skin rash However, these symptoms can also be caused by lots of common conditions. You may not have any other symptoms of HIV for years. This means many people with HIV do not know they have it. If HIV is not treated, it damages your immune system and may eventually cause more serious illnesses, such as tuberculosis, pneumonia or cancer. This is known as advanced HIV, late-stage HIV or AIDS.

HIV is most often spread by having vaginal, anal or oral sex with someone who has HIV, while not using a condom. This is because HIV is spread by infected body fluids getting into your bloodstream. This includes blood, semen, vaginal fluids and mucus from inside the anus. It can also be spread: by sharing needles, syringes or other equipment for injecting drugs with someone who has a detectable viral load by sharing sex toys with someone who has a detectable viral load to your baby during pregnancy or birth if you have a detectable viral load You cannot get HIV from kissing, hugging or shaking hands, or from sharing toilet seats, food, drinks, or normal everyday household items like cups and cutlery. Important If you’re having effective treatment for HIV and have an undetectable viral load (an extremely low level of the HIV virus in your blood), you cannot pass the HIV virus onto someone else.

Taking medicine called PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) can help you avoid getting and spreading HIV, if you're at higher risk. PrEP is available free on the NHS from sexual health clinics . It usually comes as tablets you take every day or on demand, but some people may need an injection every two months instead. There are also other things you can do to reduce the risk of HIV infection. Do take medicine called post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) if you think you've been exposed to HIV in the last 72 hours – it's available from sexual health clinics and A&E use condoms before and during any sexual contact between the penis, vagina, mouth or anus – condoms are the most effective protection against HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) use water-based lubricants (such as K-Y jelly) instead of oil-based lubricants (such as Vaseline or massage and baby oil) with condoms – oil-based lubricants can cause condoms to break or tear Don’t do not share needles, syringes, spoons or swabs, drugs or liquids used to dilute drugs – a GP or drug counsellor should be able to advise you about needle exchange programmes

HIV tests use saliva from your mouth or blood from your finger. If you have an HIV test in a clinic, they’ll usually send the blood or saliva to a laboratory for testing and you’ll get the result within a few days. If you order an HIV home testing kit, the result is often available within a few minutes. It’s important to use good quality home testing kits from a reliable source. Make sure the test you buy: is clearly marked as being for self-testing has a CE mark and the manufacturer details are clearly displayed is not damaged and the seal is not broken Pregnant women are offered an HIV blood test as part of routine antenatal screening for hepatitis B, HIV and syphilis . HIV test results If your result is ‘negative’, this means the test has found no signs of HIV infection. You may be advised to take another test a few weeks later, especially if you may have been exposed to the HIV virus within the last few weeks. If your result is ‘positive’, this means you could have HIV. You’ll need to have a blood test at a clinic. If this second test is also positive, you’ll be referred to an HIV clinic for more tests and to discuss your treatment options.

There is currently no cure for HIV, but there are treatments to help reduce the amount of HIV in your blood. You'll be seen at a specialist HIV clinic, where healthcare professionals can discuss your treatment options with you. Anti-HIV medicines HIV can be treated with anti-HIV medicines called antiretrovirals. These are tablets that you’ll need to take every day. The aim is to bring down the amount of HIV in your blood to a level where it can no longer be measured. This is known as an undetectable viral load. If you're taking daily medicines, it usually takes around 6 months for the virus to be undetectable.

Being diagnosed with HIV can be very worrying and difficult to accept, as it's a lifelong condition. But it's important to know that with the correct treatment, most people with HIV do not go on to develop AIDS and are able to live a long and healthy life. Your healthcare team will offer you counselling so you can discuss any concerns. You'll need to tell your partner and any recent sexual partners who may have been exposed to HIV.

If you’re diagnosed with HIV, healthcare professionals will support you throughout your treatment. There are also national charities who provide information and support for anyone living with HIV. You may find it helpful to talk to other people who have HIV, through online or local support groups. If you need to stop work or work part-time because of HIV, find out about social care and support options . Terrence Higgins Trust Terrence Higgins Trust provides a range of information and support for people living with HIV. Website: https://www.tht.org.uk/ Helpline: 0808 802 1221 Email: info@tht.org.uk Support services (Terrence Higgins Trust) About HIV (Terrence Higgins Trust) National AIDS Trust National AIDS Trust provides a range of information for people living with HIV. Website: https://www.nat.org.uk/ Email: info@nat.org.uk HIV information and advice (National AIDS Trust)