HIV

HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It affects the body’s immune system, which is essential for fighting off infections. It is a lifelong condition and there is no cure for HIV, but HIV treatment is highly effective - people with HIV can now live just as long as those without the virus.

First identified in the 1980s as a ‘new’ disease, HIV is now a worldwide epidemic, with over 70 million people having been infected since the start.

Without diagnosis and treatment, HIV damages the body’s immune system to the point where it can no longer defend itself against infection. This is called later-stage HIV or AIDS. People with HIV do not always develop AIDS, and it is quite rare now to develop AIDS or an AIDS defining illness in the UK due to effective HIV treatments. Some people who were diagnosed in the earlier days of the virus, in the 1990s, are surviving HIV but may have long term health conditions.

For more information on HIV, visit the NAT website.

HIV is a contagious virus. It attaches itself to special cells in the body called T-Helper cells and takes over the cell, producing more HIV cells. T-Helper cells are essential to the function of our immune system, as they activate other cells to fight against infected cells and to produce antibodies. With HIV, the amount of T-Helper cells in the body diminishes, and can become so low that the immune system cannot function, which puts the person affected at risk of contracting a variety of other illnesses and viruses, or developing AIDS. However, the treatment for HIV is extremely effective and can halt this process, ensuring a person lives a healthy, long life. Read more about the HIV lifecycle.

HIV is passed from a person with the condition, to another person, who then develops the condition. The virus is passed on through bodily fluid such as that from the vagina and anus, semen, blood and breast milk. It is most commonly passed on through having unprotected sex, i.e. sex without the use of a condom, but it is also possible to catch HIV through sharing the same needle as someone with the virus, i.e. when injecting intravenous, illegal drugs. It is also possible to contract HIV through a blood transfusion, although this is rare in the UK due to stringent pre-test processes. It is also possible for a mother with HIV to pass the condition to her baby.

For more information about how HIV infects the body, visit the Avert website.

Many people are unaware that there are actually two types of HIV, known as HIV-1 and HIV-2. This article refers mostly to HIV-1, which is the most common of the two HIV types and the cause of the worldwide pandemic. Most people in the UK are diagnosed with HIV-1. The main difference between the two is that HIV-2 develops even more slowly than HIV-1. HIV-2 occurs mostly in people from some parts of Africa. The treatment for HIV-1 usually works for HIV-2 as well, but the latter type of HIV is less well understood.

For a further HIV explanation, including information on the types of HIV and subtypes within these, visit the Avert website.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it is important not to panic. They are also symptoms of many other health conditions and mild illnesses, but you should visit your GP to have these checked out and obtain a diagnosis.

The Terrence Higgins Trust provide information on symptoms of HIV.

Early HIV symptoms may be very mild and last for a short amount of time, whilst the virus initially infects the body. The second stage of the virus usually presents no symptoms at all, so many people do not even know they have the condition unless they have a HIV test.

If you think you may be at risk of having contracted HIV, for example, if you have had unprotected sex with another person, or shared needles with another person, you are able to access a HIV test from:

HIV can only be detected from a blood sample, so you may have a full blood sample taken (blood test) or have a finger prick test.

Some people also choose to have a HIV test at the start of a new relationship, or have them regularly each year if they have multiple sexual partners.

Pregnant women are given the option of having a blood test for HIV, to check if they have the virus, and are at risk of passing it to their baby. If the mother finds she is HIV positive (she has the virus), then HIV treatment during pregnancy can reduce the risk of passing it on to the baby. For more information on this, visit the NHS pregnancy and baby guide.

The Terrence Higgins Trust provides lots of information about testing for HIV and what happens after a confirmed HIV diagnosis, which is when blood tests confirm you have the virus.

Medication is designed to stop the virus replicating itself within the body and are called antiretroviral drugs. Not everyone with HIV takes the same medication as there are lots of types of HIV drugs and most people are recommended to undertake combination therapy (up to three types of drug). Your doctor will find the most appropriate combination for you. Some people are resistant to certain drugs, or may develop a resistance over time, which means the drugs stop working for them. There are plenty of other drug options available though, which your doctor may prescribe as alternatives. For more information about each type of medication used in HIV treatment, visit the i-base guide to ARVs.

Medications used as HIV treatments do cause mild side effects and if these are significant, you may wish to discuss with your doctor about trying a different combination.

It is essential for someone undergoing treatment for HIV to take the correct dose at the correct time – and to never miss a dose. This ensures the person’s viral load stays low. A person who is HIV positive and undergoing treatment for HIV will have their viral load monitored regularly to ensure their medication is working effectively. The Avert website explains more about monitoring and switching HIV medications.

HIV can be passed on by having unprotected sex with an infected person. Many people do not know they are HIV positive, and therefore, they may pass the virus on without realising it. Practicing safe sex using a condom is the main way to ensure you do not contract HIV or pass it to another person if you have the virus. If you use needles to inject drugs, not sharing needles will also help reduce your risk.

However, it is important to note that people who are taking HIV treatment effectively can ensure their viral load is so low that they are unable to pass the infection on to anybody else. The less the virus is active within a person’s body, the less likely they are to pass HIV on to other people, for example, their sexual partners. The charity Terrence Higgins Trust has launched a campaign called ‘Can’t pass it on’ to promote this message and reduce some of the stigma surrounding HIV.

If you are worried you may have contracted HIV very recently, you may be able to take a course of HIV treatment called post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). This is an emergency measure to be used, for example, if you have unprotected sex with someone who has HIV. The course of drugs may be able to stop HIV spreading once the virus is in your body, so that you do not contract the virus. There are strict rules about who is entitled to receive a course of PEP though, and only people with a high risk of having been passed the virus are able to obtain it. PEP is usually only available through sexual health clinics. Terrence Higgins Trust provides lots of information about PEP.

Having HIV may affect your life in several ways:

It is important to remember that you are not alone in your HIV diagnosis. There are around 90,000 people living with HIV in the UK, and attitudes about the condition have changed drastically over the years. With increasing knowledge and treatment success, the stigma that surrounds HIV is slowly beginning to lift. Everyone will experience HIV differently. HIV will almost certainly change your life, but there are ways to live well with the condition and live as long and healthily as others who do not have HIV.

Some people find it helps to hear stories of others who are living with HIV. HIV Scotland provides a selection of personal stories you may find interesting.

At Healthcare Pro, we are experts in daily living aids, which are products designed to help if healthcare conditions are creating challenges in your daily life. We have a selection of HIV aids for daily living that may help a person with HIV to manage their medication and remember to take the correct dose at the correct time.

Eating a healthy HIV diet is important and will help reduce the risk of developing other health conditions. The Food Chain website provides lots of information on HIV and nutrition.

Some people choose to take HIV supplements, such as vitamins and minerals in tablet or liquid form, to boost immunity. For example, B vitamins, magnesium, potassium and zinc. There are some herbal HIV supplements that are dangerous as they may interfere with medication, for example, taking garlic tablets. For more information about HIV supplements, visit the Aidsmap website.

There is little evidence to confirm that these actually have any effect on the body, and we recommend you discuss with your GP or HIV clinician before embarking on a programme of supplements for HIV.

If you have HIV, undertaking regular exercise will help keep your body strong and healthy and reduce the risk of you developing other long-term health conditions such as heart disease. Exercise does not affect your HIV – it will not make it worse or better, but it will make you healthier and can improve mood and wellbeing.

For more information on developing an exercise programme, visit the Aidsmap website.

There are some restrictions on employment if you have HIV, for example, you will not be permitted to join the armed forces. Restrictions on practicing healthcare have recently been changed, so that people with HIV are now permitted to work in healthcare (doctors, nurses, dentists) etc, but must have a zero viral load and agree to regular monitoring of their condition.

Otherwise though, people with HIV are able to work and most people find it has little to no impact on their working life. Some people choose to tell their employer that they are HIV positive and others do not – you do not legally have to do this.

For more advice about everyday concerns about employment, visit the NAT website.

myHIV forum – the free forum from Terrence Higgins Trust, with nearly 4000 members in a network of HIV-positive people

The Tribe HIV/AIDS – an online community providing peer to peer support for people living with HIV or AIDS, from people with a new diagnosis or those who have been living with the condition since the earlier days of the virus

HIV/AIDS Education and Support – a Facebook group with members from across the world who share experiences, stories and advice

Avert – a charity educating people about HIV, providing online information about the condition and working across the globe

HIV Prevention England – a programme of prevention work for those most at risk of contracting HIV in England, which focusses on educating people with local events and national awareness campaigns

i-base – an activist group providing publications about living with HIV, with online and telephone treatment advice

NAT (National Aids Trust) – a charity campaigning for people with HIV, with a guide for those living with HIV, training and teaching materials and real life stories

NHS – official medical information about all aspects of HIV and related health matters including safe sex and healthy living

Positively UK – a charity providing information and support to people with HIV, including peer mentoring services, training opportunities and project work

Sexwise – honest and open information about all sex-related matters such as HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy, safe sex etc, including a helpline

Terrence Higgins Trust – a charity named after one of the first people in the UK to die from AIDS, providing information on all aspects of HIV, AIDS, sexually transmitted infections and how to have safer sex, along with an online forum, counselling and advice services

Test.hiv – the UK’s official, commissioned provider of HIV home testing kits which are available to order online (free in certain areas)

World Health Organization – official information on HIV and AIDS across the world, including facts, statistics, policies and guidelines

AIDS

– Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, the final stage of HIV when immunity is extremely damaged, resulting in the diagnosis of other serious health conditions and in many cases ending in fatality

AIDS defining illness

– serious medical conditions such as cancer, that develop as a result of long term and untreated HIV, due to a damaged immune system

Antiretroviral drugs

– medication that treats HIV by blocking the actions of the virus and ensuring it cannot continue to grow

Contagious

– a health condition, virus or disease that spreads from person to person

Immune system

– the process and parts of the body that combat infection from the outside world, which includes cells, organs and tissues

Pneumonia

– a lung infection caused by virus or bacteria

Sarcoma

– cancerous tumours in soft tissues

T-Helper cells

– an important type of cell in the body that activates other cells in the immune system, also known as CD4 cells, which HIV takes control of in an infected person, causing damage to the immune system

Viral load

– the measure of a virus in the body e.g. the level of HIV virus present