Question
- What is HIV?
Answer
- HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus that, if left untreated,
damages the cells of your immune system. If this happens it can lead to AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)*
- AIDS cannot be passed from one person to another but the HIV virus can be passed on
- Most transmissions of HIV are through having sex
- HIV cannot be caught by kissing, using toilet seats, sharing cutlery or any other similar day to day activities
- There are very effective drug treatments now
* The acronym “AIDS” isn’t used much now and clinicians are far more likely to say ‘late-stage’, ‘advanced’ or ‘symptomatic’ HIV instead.