What is HIV ?

HIV is a virus. Viruses infect the cells of living organisms and replicate within those cells.
HIV stands for the 'Human Immunodeficiency Virus'. This is a virus that people can become infected with and then they can pass on to others. Someone who is diagnosed as infected with HIV is said to be 'HIV+' or 'HIV positive'.
When someone becomes infected with HIV it begins to attack their immune system which is the body’s defence against illness, this process is not always visible. Once a person becomes infected with HIV they will remain infected for life.
People can become infected with HIV from other people who already have it, and when they are infected they can then go on to infect other people. Basically, this is how HIV is spread.

What causes HIV to develop?

Blood is made up of a fluid called plasma and three types of cells. Red blood cells, which give blood it’s colour, platelets, which help the blood to clot and white blood cells. It is the white blood cells which defend the body from germs and fight infections. One of the most important white blood cells is called a T-helper cell (commonly called a CD4 cell). The CD4 cell is a crucial cell in the immune system as it co-ordinates all the other immune cells.
HIV infects cells in the immune system and central nervous system. The main cell HIV infects is the CD4 cell. Like all viruses, the HIV virus only wants to do one thing, reproduce itself. Once it has attacked the CD4 cell, it takes it over and reproduces itself. During this process (which takes a couple of days) the infected cell dies and the virus seeks out other CD4 cells to infect.
The CD4 cells of someone infected with HIV will battle against the invading infection and so it may be years before you notice any symptoms. However, the virus is not completely destroyed or eradicated from the body, and will continue to attack the CD4 cells. Eventually as your CD4 cell count goes down you might start having signs of HIV disease like fevers, night sweats, diarrhoea or swollen lymph nodes. These problems may continue for several weeks.

What is A.I.D.S.?

AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. The term AIDS is very rarely used in the medical profession; they prefer to talk of late stage or advanced HIV infection. Before effective treatments AIDS was a state someone infected with HIV almost inevitably entered, as HIV attacked their immune system. This is no longer the case.
A person was said to have AIDS when, usually after a few years after first becoming infected with HIV, they develop one of a number of rare illnesses or cancers because their immune system is weakened.

How is HIV passed on?

HIV is present in sexual fluids and blood of infected people. Because of the way in which HIV is spread the 2 most common ways of contracting the virus is through unprotected penetrative anal sex, and the use of infected needles and syringes. There is a small risk of you contracting HIV through oral sex but this is very rare.
It is not possible for HIV to be contracted through touching, hugging, sharing cutlery, insect bites, toilet seats or eating food that has been prepared by a person with HIV

How do I avoid catching HIV ?

You can considerably reduce catching HIV by practicing safe sex, this refers to any sexual activities which does not involve any sexual fluid from one person getting into another person’s body. Safe sex activities include kissing, touching and mutual masturbation. A condom when used properly and consistently acts as a physical barrier, making it hard for the virus to pass between people.

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