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HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that damages the cells in your immune system and weakens your ability to fight everyday infections and disease.
AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) is the name used to describe a number of potentially life-threatening infections and illnesses that happen when your immune system has been severely damaged by the HIV virus. While AIDS cannot be transmitted from 1 person to another, the HIV virus can.
There’s currently no cure for HIV, but there are very effective drug treatments that enable most people with the virus to live a long and healthy life. With an early diagnosis and effective treatments, most people with HIV will not develop any AIDS-related illnesses and will live a near-normal lifespan.
How is it affecting us
An estimated 4,700 people are currently living with undiagnosed HIV in England, including an estimated 1,600 GBMSM, 600 Black African heterosexual men and 1,000 Black African heterosexual women. Testing rates for HIV in sexual health services are still below 2019 levels, particularly among heterosexuals. While testing has increased among GBMSM, there are continuing health inequities including for those outside of London and for younger men. Amongst Black African heterosexuals, late diagnoses remain high and trends in new diagnoses suggest ongoing transmission.
By co-ordinating our efforts around this week as community organisations, local authorities, clinicians, sexual health services, and other partners, we can create something greater than the sum of its parts – and have a long-lasting impact on HIV testing across the country
PRE-EXPOSURE PROPHYLAXIS
WHAT IS PREP?
Pre-exposure prophylaxis is a tablet that is taken either daily or on demand that substantially reduces the risk of acquiring HIV. PrEP works by stopping HIV from getting into your body and making copies of itself (replicating). PrEP can be used by anyone from a community or group that is most at risk of HIV, or people who have sex with people from those networks.
YOU MAY BENEFIT FROM TAKING PREP IF:
PrEP comes as tablets that contain 2 medicines called tenofovir disoproxil and emtricitabine. Both medicines are often also used to treat HIV.
You can have a free discussion and assessment for PrEP at Crawley Sexual Health clinic. Visit the website https://www.sexualhealthwestsussex.nhs.uk/ for information and call 01903 285199 to make an appointment.
HIV TESTING:
The only way to find out if you have HIV is to have a HIV test, as symptoms of HIV may not appear for many years. Rates of HIV are higher in Mauritius than in the UK so it is recommended that people who come to the UK get tested. This is especially true when people inject drugs, have injected drugs in the past or have had a partner who injected drugs.
HIV is now a very treatable condition and treatment and care is provided for free. If you have HIV, finding out means you can start treatment, stay healthy and avoid passing the virus onto anyone else. People who are diagnosed early and get on treatment can expect to live a normal lifespan.
Once you’re on treatment and your viral load is undetectable then you can’t pass the virus on to anyone else sexually. Being on treatment dramatically reduces the risk of transmission of HIV to a baby during pregnancy. If you wait to test, the virus can cause serious medical problems.
HIV TREATMENT:
HIV treatment is provided at special clinics within the NHS and is free of charge. If you have been diagnosed with HIV and need to access treatment in the Crawley area, we will give you an appointment to be seen by a doctor and a nurse and provided with HIV treatment. You can also get treatment for Hepatitis C and we can refer you if you need it.
You can call 01903 285199 to book an appointment, or you can visit our website https://www.sexualhealthwestsussex.nhs.uk/. We are located in Crawley Hospital, West Green Drive, Crawley on the 5th floor.