HIV and AIDS
What is HIV?
HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus and is the virus that causes AIDS. People with HIV have what is termed HIV infection. HIV attacks certain white blood cells in the body called CD4 cells. When the CD4 count is low, the body's immune system is very weak and cannot fight off infections and diseases caused by viruses and bacteria. Most people will develop AIDS as a result of their HIV infection.
How do you catch HIV?
HIV is passed on from an infected person through the transfer of body fluids such as blood, semen (men), vaginal fluids (women) and breast milk (women). There are four main ways to catch HIV
- through unprotected sex (anal, vaginal, oral) with an infected partner
- sharing needles or syringes that have been contaminated with blood from someone who has HIV.
- from an infected mother to her baby during pregnancy, delivery or breastfeeding
- through blood transfusions (in the past, HIV was spread to people who received contaminated blood transfusions, but all blood supplies are now screened and treated for the virus so the risk is extremely low)
HIV is not passed on through everyday social contact with an infected person. Touching, shaking hands, hugging, coughing or sneezing cannot pass on the virus.
How do you know that you have HIV?
A person with HIV may have no symptoms and may appear completely healthy for a long period of time. The only way to determine for sure whether you are infected is to be tested for HIV. The HIV antibody test looks for the presence of antibodies (disease-fighting proteins) to the virus in a person's blood. Someone with HIV antibodies is infected with the virus. (An exception to this is when transfer of mother's antibodies to her newborn baby occurs. The baby then has HIV antibodies but has not necessarily been infected). It can take up to 6 months after infection for the antibodies to show up in a test.
How can HIV infection be prevented?
There is currently no vaccine to protect against getting infected with HIV. The only way to prevent infection by the virus is to avoid behaviours that put a person at risk of infection, such as sharing needles and having unprotected sex (without a condom).
What is AIDS?
AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and is the advanced stage of HIV infection. A person first becomes HIV infected and later, in most cases, develops AIDS. HIV can weaken the immune system to the point where the person has difficulty fighting off certain diseases many of which are not normally a threat to a healthy person. A person receives an AIDS diagnosis from a doctor after developing one or more specific opportunistic infections, also known as AIDS indicator illnesses. There are several indicator illnesses including severe pneumonia, several forms of cancer, damage to the brain and nervous system, and extreme weight loss.
Can you treat HIV and AIDS?
Currently there is no vaccine or cure for HIV or AIDS. However over the last ten years, a number of drugs have been developed which fight HIV infection. A very effective treatment regimen, namely highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART), is widely used in the treatment of HIV and AIDS. The term HAART is used to describe a combination of three or more anti-HIV drugs. This treatment suppresses the HIV virus and can reverse the damage to the immune system for some time, prolonging the lives of those infected. The virus is continually changing, sometimes becoming resistant to current drugs, so HAART may not be a long-term solution and is not a cure. The treatments are complex and often have side effects. Despite treatment, an infected person is still capable of passing on the virus.
Detailed reports on HIV and AIDS in Ireland can be found here
Last Updated: August 2006
Last Reviewed: 7 March 2007