Gareth Thomas
Sir Elton John and David Furnish, Founder and Chairman of the Elton John AIDS Foundation
Tackle HIV survey results5
YOU CANNOT GET HIV FROM:6
PEOPLE CAN GET HIV THROUGH:
No. Like most health conditions, HIV doesn’t discriminate between types of people and anyone can contract HIV via one of the ways mentioned above.2 Some groups are more impacted but we are all at risk. However we can all reduce our risk by knowing how HIV can be caught and by knowing our status. If you are worried that you may have HIV, you can find a testing service near you through the Terrence Higgins Trust. Alternatively order an at home test kit at freetesting.hiv. The only way to know your HIV status for sure is to get tested.
No. While there’s no cure for HIV, there are very effective treatments that enable most people with the virus to live a long and healthy life.7
A 20 year old starting effective HIV treatment is now likely to have a near normal life expectancy.8
No. HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus which attacks the immune system, the body’s defence against diseases. HIV stays in the body for life, but treatment can keep the virus under control and the immune system healthy. Without medication people with HIV can develop AIDS.
AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is the most advanced stage of an HIV infection, when the immune system can no longer fight infections. Someone with AIDS has both HIV and at least one of a specific list of ‘AIDS-defining’ diseases, which include tuberculosis, pneumonia and/or some types of cancer.
That is why it is so important to get tested early if you have been at risk of HIV, as it will mean that you can access treatment that can prevent you ever getting AIDS.
References