Alton Street Surgery Patient Information Leaflet

AIDS

What is AIDS?
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, or AIDS, is a condition that develops after a person has been infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). It leads to the breakdown of the body's immune system, which, in turn, means that it is unable to fight off infection. As yet no cure has been found, but rapid advances have been made in treatment, which mean that people with AIDS can live healthy lives for many years. However, because of the incurable nature of the illness and the potential for spread of infection, the most important way of tackling the virus is to avoid catching it in the first place.

How is the virus spread?

The virus is spread in the following ways:

• Between sexual partners during sexual intercourse - the most usual way for the disease to be transmitted.
• From mother to child, either in the womb or during childbirth, and in some cases, during breastfeeding.
• From an infected blood transfusion in countries where blood is not screened for HIV.
• From sharing needles and syringes with people who are infected with the virus.

In each case the virus is able to pass from the bloodstream of an infected person into the bloodstream of an uninfected person.

What is 'safe sex'?
'Safe' sexual practices are those that prevent the infection passing into the bloodstream of an uninfected person. Penetrative sex of any kind, whether between a man and a woman or between two men, can lead to infection, because the virus can enter via small abrasions in the vagina or anus, which can occur during intercourse. In the same way, there is some risk from oral sex, particularly if there are cuts and abrasions around the mouth.

There are two alternatives; in the first place there are ways of sharing sexual pleasure without penetration. In the second place, using a good quality condom sets up a barrier between the virus and the uninfected person, protecting them not only from HIV but also from other sexually transmitted diseases.

When is it safe not to practise 'safe sex'?
Because HIV often takes a long time to produce symptoms, it is never possible to 'guess' who is and who isn't infected. Some people run a greater risk of catching the disease - perhaps because they have had many sexual partners or because they use drugs intravenously - but anyone who is sexually active may be at risk and the more partners one has, the greater the chance of being infected. It is, therefore, never safe not to practise 'safe sex'.


Useful sources of information:
The Terence Higgins Trust, 52-54 Grays Inn Road, London WC1X 8JU. Telephone: 020 7831 0330. Helpline: 020 7242 1010 (daily 12md-10pm). Website: http://www.tht.org.uk

This patient information leaflet has been adapted from an original published by Clinnix Pro, Synigence PLC