On this page you can find information about HIV and other sexual health questions, visit @sexpressionleicester on Instagram. This page includes information on; what it is, transmission, prevention, stigma, and the consequences.
What is HIV?
- The “Human Immunodeficiency Virus” (HIV)
- A virus that attacks the body’s immune system (a healthy immune system provides a natural defence against disease and infection)
- HIV infects special cells, called CD4 cells that are found in the blood (these cells are responsible for fighting infection)
- After becoming infected, the CD4 cells are destroyed by HIV
- Although the body will attempt to produce more CD4 cells, their numbers will eventually decline (the immune system will stop working)
- Results in high risk of developing other serious infections or diseases
Transmission:
- Blood
- Semen
- Vaginal Fluid
- Anal Mucus
- Breast Milk
- Vertical Transmission (mother to baby during pregnancy/birth)
NOT: Saliva/Sweat/Tears
Prevention:
1) Protection (barrier contraception – external (penile) condoms)
2) No Sharing Needles
3) Regular Testing
- Nucleic Acid Test (NAT)—A NAT can usually tell you if you have HIV infection 10 to 33 days after exposure
- Antigen/Antibody Test—An antigen/antibody test performed by a laboratory on blood from a vein can usually detect HIV infection 18 to 45 days after exposure. Antigen/antibody tests done with blood from a finger prick take longer to detect HIV (18 to 90 days after an exposure).
- Antibody Test—An antibody test can take 23 to 90 days to detect HIV infection after an exposure. Most rapid tests and self-tests are antibody tests. In general, antibody tests that use blood from a vein detect HIV sooner after infection than tests done with blood from a finger prick or with oral fluid.
If you get an HIV test after a potential HIV exposure and the result is negative, get tested again after the window period. Remember, you can only be sure you are HIV-negative if:
- Your most recent test is after the window period
- You haven’t had a potential HIV exposure during the window period. If you do have an exposure, then you will need to be retested.
4) Pregnancy Screening
5) PrEP – pre exposure prophylaxis
More information on PrEP and PEP:
PrEP
- “Pre exposure prophylaxis”
- Prevents HIV-negative person contracting HIV
- High risk patients take PrEP daily, reducing HIV risk by 90%
- Prescribed by a health care provider – now available on the NHS for those at risk of HIV exposure
- Regular checks every 3 months (including blood tests and HIV tests)
PEP
- “Post exposure prophylaxis”
- Antiretroviral medicines (ART) given AFTER being exposed to HIV
- Prevents infection
- Must be used only in emergency situations and within 72 hours after a recent possible exposure to HIV
- Once or twice daily for 28 days
- Talk to your health care provider or an emergency room doctor about PEP right away (sharing needles/unprotected sex/sexual assault)
True/False
- It is more likely to transmit HIV through anal sex (TRUE)
- You can contract HIV from a vibrator (TRUE)
- HIV cannot survive outside of the human body for longer than 3 seconds (TRUE)
- It is common contracting HIV from needles (FALSE)
Stigma:
- HIV and AIDS associated with death
- Associated with disapproved lifestyles / behaviours (such as homosexuality, drug use, sex work or infidelity)
- “A result of personal irresponsibility or moral fault”
- E.g. such as infidelity = deserves to be punished
- Lots of false information about methods of transmission further stigmatises HIV and increases fearmongering
Consequences: