Sex

HIV / AIDS

A virus which attacks the human immune system, the body's defence against disease. A person with HIV may develop infections or symptomatic illnesses through having a damaged immune system. A person with HIV may stay well for a long time, possibly ten years, though it may be much less, during which time they will not look as if they have the virus - indeed, they may not know themselves.

A person with HIV may develop a rare illness or cancer because their immune system is weakened - they are then said to have AIDS - Acquired Immunity Deficiency Syndrome (it describes a range of illnesses or diseases related to HIV) An AIDS sufferer can have periods of good health and periods when they are seriously ill. They may live for several years, but AIDS is generally fatal.

How do you get it?
A person must get a sufficient amount of the HIV virus into their bloodstream from the body fluids (blood, semen, vaginal fluids, menstrual fluids, breast milk) of an infected person. This can happen through having unprotected sex (vaginal or anal), through sharing drug equipment with someone who is HIV positive, through an infected blood transfusion or through donated sperm. A woman with HIV could infect a baby during pregnancy, delivery or breast-feeding.

Other body fluids like saliva, urine or sweat do not contain enough of the HIV virus to infect another person.

The HIV virus cannot pass through the air or through intact skin, so it is safe to study, work or live with men, women or children who have HIV or AIDS.

National AIDS Help-line: 0800 567123 - 24 hours, free and confidential