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What is the difference between HIV and AIDS? * What is the difference between HIV and AIDS? 07/16/96 *

* 07/16/96 What is HIV? HIV stands for ‘Human Immunodeficiency Virus’. ‘Immunodeficiency’ refers to how this virus weakens a person’s immune system, the part of the body that fights off diseases. What is AIDS? AIDS stands for ‘Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome'. It means a collection of illnesses caused by a virus people acquire (HIV) that weakens their immune system (immune deficiency). You cannot get an AIDS diagnosis unless you are already HIV positive. *

What does HIV treatment do? * 07/16/96 What does HIV treatment do? The viral load is the amount of HIV in the blood and other body fluids. HIV treatment reduces the viral load – the aim is to reduce it to ‘undetectable’ levels. An ‘undetectable viral load’ does not mean the person has been cured – HIV is still there but in levels too low for a test to pick up. If someone is on effective HIV treatment and has an undetectable viral load, they cannot pass on the virus. It can take up to six months for some people to become undetectable from when they start treatment. *

What happens when you become HIV positive?? * 07/16/96 What happens when you become HIV positive?? Some people notice no symptoms when they are first infected. Within six weeks of infection, most people experience a short flu-like illness called seroconversion which lasts around two weeks as the body reacts to the virus. Seroconversion can include the following: body rash, sore throat or fever. Once this stage passes an infected person often feels fine for a number of years. If treatment is not started early enough, the virus can cause a lot of damage to the immune system. Early diagnosis and starting treatment means someone with HIV can live a normal and healthy life. *

* 07/16/96 How is HIV passed on?? HIV is usually passed on through sex where no protection is used. The following body fluids can contain enough HIV to infect someone if the person has a detectable viral load: blood semen anal mucus vaginal fluids breast milk. *

* 07/16/96 What is protected sex? Protected sex is where you use a condom during sex if one of you has HIV and a detectable viral load. Condoms should be used with water-based lubricant as oil-based lube weakens them. HIV treatment is also a form of protection. *

How does HIV treatment stop HIV being passed on? * 07/16/96 How does HIV treatment stop HIV being passed on? A person with HIV who is taking effective treatment and has an undetectable viral load cannot pass on HIV. Remember it can take up to six months for some people to become undetectable from when they start treatment. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a course of HIV drugs taken by an HIV negative person to lower the chance of infection. Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is a month-long course of HIV medication taken by an HIV negative person after possible exposure to reduce the chance of getting HIV. However, it does not work every time. *

* 07/16/96 Statistics At the end of 2016, an estimated 36.7 million people were living with HIV worldwide. A total of 101,200 people in the UK are estimated to be living with HIV. 13% of them do not know that they are living with the virus. *

* 07/16/96 How is HIV transmitted? *

* Kissing? 07/16/96 *

* 07/16/96 Toilet seat? No, HIV cannot be caught from toilet seats, swimming pools, showers, hot tubs, towels, etc. It is safe to share objects someone with HIV has touched or used to eat or drink from. *

* 07/16/96 Intravenous drug use? *

* 07/16/96 Tattoos? *

* 07/16/96 From a mum to her baby? *

* 07/16/96 Oral sex? . *

* 07/16/96 Unprotected sex? *

Use protection and know your HIV status * 07/16/96 Use protection and know your HIV status Or Femidoms *

What is stigma? The Cambridge Dictionary defines it as: * 07/16/96 What is stigma? The Cambridge Dictionary defines it as: ‘A ​strong ​lack of ​respect for a ​person or a ​group of ​people or a ​bad ​opinion of them because they have done something ​society does not ​approve of.’ People with HIV are often stigmatised - can you imagine being treated unfairly because you have a health condition? National AIDS Trust found that: ‘69% of people feel there is still a great deal of stigma in the UK around HIV and one in three people living with HIV report having experienced discrimination.’ You can read about the ways people have experienced stigma in different countries by visiting the Stigma Index: www.stigmaindex.org *

HIV-related stigma can: * 07/16/96 HIV-related stigma can: Stop people having an HIV test as they are scared of how they will be treated if they have HIV. Make people feel ashamed if they do have HIV. Cause partners, family members or employers to be unsupportive of someone living with HIV. *

How we are getting involved this World AIDS Day… * How we are getting involved this World AIDS Day… We are going to be doing some fundraising to support Terrence Higgins Trust and their vital work supporting people living with, and affected by, HIV in the UK. 07/16/96 *

* 07/16/96 Any questions? If you have any questions about anything raised in today’s World AIDS Day Assembly you can find out more from: THT Direct – 0808 802 1221 – a free and confidential phone line offering support, advice and information. Your local Terrence Higgins Trust centre. A teacher at school. www.tht.org.uk *