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HIV and AIDS
Department of GU Medicine
Catterick Barracks Bielefeld BFPO 39
(LOCAL FACT SHEET OF RESOURCES AND FURTHER INFORMATION)
What does the abbreviation HIV and AIDS stand for?
A World-wide Problem
The UK Problem
Safer Sex
Oral Sex
The Need for Condoms
Condom Basics
HIV Antibody Testing
Considering the HIV antibody test.
Title and contact numbers of local and national information resources
HIV stands for: Human Immunodeficiency Virus.
HIV is the virus that damages the body’s immune system, so that it cannot fight off or defend itself against certain infections.
AIDS stands for: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.
Someone with HIV who develops certain serious illnesses, normally rare in someone with an undamaged immune system, may be diagnosed as having AIDS. The immune system is deficient or damaged to the extent that it is unable to assist in preventing these conditions occurring.
A World-wide Problem
HIV is now a global problem, the World Health Organization estimate that 1500 new infections occur worldwide every day.
The most common means of transmission occurs during unprotected sex between men and women.
The UK European Problem
In the UK/Europe new infections continue to occur amongst gay and bisexual men, heterosexual men and women and through the sharing of equipment/gear used during the injection of illicit drugs.
HIV may also be passed onto babies from their infected mothers during pregnancy, at birth or through breast feeding.
Within the UK/Europe there are therefore three main ways in which HIV is passed from one person to another:
Through vaginal or anal sex without a condom
Through sharing needles, syringes or other injecting equipment
Through a mother who is HIV positive to baby during pregnancy at birth or through breast feeding.
Safer Sex
Although not 100% reliable, condoms offer a great deal of protection from HIV and from other Sexually Transmittable Diseases (STD’s).
The involvement of another STD, for example, herpes, gonorrhoea or syphilis, may also help facilitate the passage of HIV.
Safer sex is sex that does not allow a partners blood, semen, or vaginal fluid to enter the other partners body.
The risk of transmitting HIV from an infected partner to an uninfected partner becomes greater the more times someone has sex without a condom. This risk may also increase if another STD is present.
Oral Sex
Oral to genital contact from one partner to the other carries some risk of HIV transmission especially if there are oral or genital lesions present, these may even be microscopic in nature and go unnoticed. Oral sex however is much less risky than vaginal or anal sex without a condom.
The risks can be reduced by:
Preventing body fluids getting into the mouth especially if there are cuts, sores or ulcers in the mouth.
By using condoms during oral sex with a man.
By using a dental dam (a latex barrier) over a women’s genital area during oral sex with a women.
The Need for Condoms
Within a relationship, if both partners are HIV antibody negative, have no other sexual partners and do not inject drugs then acquiring HIV through sex with their partner cannot occur.
Proof that couples are HIV antibody negative requires a blood test. For the test to be reliable it is best performed 3 months after the individual last had sex or last injected any drugs. This is because it can take up to 3 months, sometimes longer, for the body to build up enough antibody to HIV for it to be detectable on the blood test.
Condom Basics
Condoms are available in a range of sizes, shapes, thickness, colours and flavours.
Male and female condoms must be used correctly to be effective. Read the instructions supplied with the condom.
Condoms may be ready lubricated, but the use of an additional water based lubricant can improve sex and help prevent condoms splitting.
Strong condoms used with additional lubricant are recommended for anal sex.
Condoms should meet the British or European standard for manufacture and carry the British kite mark or CE marks.
HIV Antibody Testing
Genito-urinary medicine or sexual health clinics carry out most tests for HIV antibody. These clinics offer free testing as well as screening for the possibility of other sexually transmittable diseases.
All testing is strictly confidential with results kept in the clinic records only. A referral by a GP is not necessary. An appointment can be made directly by telephoning a Genito-urinary medicine clinic. These clinics are normally found under Sexual Health/Genito-urinary medicine (GUM) in the yellow pages in the UK. Most major city and town NHS hospitals within the UK have a Sexual Health/GUM clinic attached to them. Few European countries provide this specific service.
Access to this service for British Forces Germany and their dependants is provided by the Department of GU Medicine, Catterick Barracks, Bielefeld, BFPO 39. Tel Bielefeld Mil 3339. Civil 0521 92543339. Outreach clinics are also held at other locations within BFG, phone the clinic at Bielefeld for details.
The HIV Antibody test is performed on a small sample of blood usually taken from a vein in the arm. The test looks for antibodies produced in response to the presence of the HIV virus.
Antibodies are produced by the body in response to invading organisms and help the body to fight of these invaders. Unfortunately this is not the case when it comes to fighting of the HIV virus, as the virus damages the very cells that help to produce antibody, so that they produce virus instead.
It may take 2 months or more for the body to produce enough antibody to the virus to be detectable. To obtain an accurate test it is widely considered that three months is the optimum time for antibody to be produced and be detected.
Some may refer to this test as an AIDS test; this is not the case. The HIV test does not show if someone has AIDS, but does show if someone has antibodies to the virus that may lead to the development of an AIDS type condition.
Therefore, even if the test is HIV antibody positive, this does not mean the individual has AIDS, nor does it predict which HIV related conditions may or may not develop.
A positive test shows that antibody has been produced to the virus so the individual must have been exposed to, and have the virus circulating in the body.
Not everyone with HIV develops AIDS. However without treatment the majority of those with HIV are likely to develop AIDS within ten years.
A positive test does mean the individual is infectious to others, and should adopt safer sex with sexual partners. If needles and syringes are used to inject drugs these should not be shared with others.
Adopting safer sex and not sharing equipment for injecting drugs will also help to protect the HIV positive individual from being exposed to other infections, including other drug resistant strains of HIV that may trigger the earlier development of AIDS.
Someone who tests positive for HIV will also undergo further blood tests to show how much damage the virus has done to the immune system. The results of these tests may help the individual, in discussion with their doctor, to decide the treatment options.
A negative test means antibody to HIV has not been detected so the individual may not have the virus.
The test may prove negative, even in someone who does have the virus, especially if the test was done early after exposure, whereby the bodies immune system would not have had enough time to produce sufficient HIV antibody for it to be detected.
Considering the HIV antibody test.
Medical opinion suggests that early identification and treatment of individuals who are HIV antibody positive, before they begin to show signs of AIDS, will improve the chances of staying well, as at this stage the immune system may still be relatively strong, intact and fully functional.
Treatment can be monitored for its effectiveness in reducing virus in the body and alternative treatment regimes considered if this is not the case.
There are pros and cons to consider when deciding upon treatment, such as, drug side effects, the amount of pills to be taken, lifestyle disruption etc, questions such as should treatment be delayed until stronger, less toxic therapy becomes available, are issues best discussed with your health care professional.
If an infected individual remains untested they will not know they have HIV or how the virus is progressing, and may only learn of its presence when they become unwell. If tested early, they may have been able to benefit from treatment and monitoring, which could have kept them healthy.
In a stable relationship, antibody status may be an important factor in deciding what kind of sex to have. Condoms may not be preferred with a regular partner, and a HIV test performed on both partners will give the reassurance that unprotected sex is safe.
The test may also help in decisions on sexual lifestyle such as, condoms use, to reduce the chance of infection; reduce the number of casual partners and to reduce the chance of transmission to others.
Individuals need to consider, however unlikely a positive test might be, how they would cope with a positive result. A positive result can cause a great deal of stress, be devastating and result in all manner of mixed emotional upset.
Time taken to consider these and other issues may help individuals to consider if they really want to take the test or not. Discussing these and other issues with your health care professional may prove beneficial in making such a decision.
Title and contact numbers of BFG/UK information resources:
GU Medicine Bielefeld, Mil- 81 3339, Civ- 0521 9254 3339
British Liver Trust: Mon-Fri 0900-1700. Tel UK 0808 800 1000
National Drugs Helpline. UK 0800 776600
National AIDS Helpline: UK 0800 567123
Useful website addresses with links to other sites:
www.aidsmap.com (National aids manual website)
www.shastd.org.uk (Health advisors website)
www.mesmac.co.uk (Advice and support to gay men, bisexual men and men who have sex with men)
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