HIV
What is HIV?
HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV weakens a person’s immune system, which reduces the body’s ability to fight infections. If left untreated HIV can cause AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) and this will seriously harm the body’s immune system. This can result in serious illness and disease. Remember, AIDS can only develop in someone who already has HIV infection and not everyone who has HIV will go on to develop AIDS. In fact, because the treatments are so effective for HIV, most people will never develop AIDS.
HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (HIV PrEP) is medication taken before unprotected sex to protect against acquiring HIV - for more information please visit our 'Prevention' page.
How can you catch HIV?
The HIV virus is found in bodily fluids. Only blood, genital fluids (semen, vaginal and anal fluids) and breast milk from an HIV infected person can pass on HIV.
The most common ways HIV is passed on to someone else is during vaginal or anal sex with no condoms, sharing sex toys without the use of condoms, by sharing equipment used to inject or snort drugs and from a mother to a baby during her pregnancy, birth or breastfeeding. Someone who is already HIV positive and whose virus is controlled on treatment cannot pass on the virus.
There are a lot of myths surrounding the transmission of HIV. HIV is not transmitted through normal social contact – you can’t get HIV from:
- Sharing food and cutlery
- Kissing
- Shaking hands or hugging or any other social contact
- Using the toilet or swimming pools
- Sneezing
- Spitting or biting
What are the symptoms of HIV?
Many people will not have any symptoms of HIV for many years. The virus can be present in the body for months or years before any health problems begin. However during this time a person infected with HIV, whilst not having symptoms, can still pass the virus on to other people and their immune system will slowly become more damaged. Some people infected with the virus may experience a short illness within 6 weeks of infection. This can include a body rash, sore throat and high temperature. These symptoms can be similar to other viral illnesses which is why the only way to be 100% sure is to get an HIV test.
Where and how do I get tested?
HIV testing is offered as part of all our routine sexual health testing here at Highland Sexual Health. HIV is tested through a blood test, which is usually very quick. The results are usually returned within 1 week. These can be done either by making an appointment with us or ordering a Home Sampling Kit.
What if my result is positive?
If your HIV test comes back positive you will be asked to come and get tested again to confirm this result. You will then be referred onto a specialist team of healthcare professionals for support and treatment. In Scotland, this treatment is free. Being told you have HIV may be a massive shock but remember it is a medical condition and treatments are available to make sure you stay healthy and well and live a normal life span. Being HIV positive doesn’t mean that you can’t live a normal life. There is legislation in place in the UK that protects people living with HIV from discrimination.
AIDSMAP - Stigma
Treatment and living with HIV
Even though treatment can’t cure HIV, it can reduce your viral load to the point where it won’t be detected in tests. There is now consensus that a person living with HIV who have been taking effective HIV medication for at least 6 months with undetectable levels of virus will not transmit HIV to their sexual partners . Nowadays treatment for many people living with HIV involves just taking one tablet every day and seeing a specialist for regular check-ups.
For further support, visit Terrence Higgins Trust.
If you are a new patient to Highland Sexual Health then please read our Welcome to HSH information leaflet
