HIV and what it does

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) attacks the body’s immune system which protects us against bacteria, viruses and substances that appear foreign and harmful. For HIV to be transmitted, a sufficient quantity of the virus needs to be passed from the bloodstream of an infected person into the bloodstream of another. The bodily fluids which can contain HIV in these sufficient quantities are blood, semen, vaginal fluids and breast milk.

Once inside the bloodstream, HIV targets the blood cells which make up the immune system, infects them and begins to multiply. Over time and without treatment HIV diminishes these CD4 (or T-helper) cells to such an extent that they are unable to fight off infection and this leaves the body susceptible to disease. Shortly after someone has been exposed to HIV they may experience severe flu-like symptoms, perhaps accompanied by a rash. This is known as a seroconversion illness. Some people don’t go through a seroconversion illness so the only way to be sure that HIV infection has taken place is to have a HIV test. When someone has been recently infected with HIV they are especially likely to pass on the virus to others not only because they may not realise they have HIV but also because the levels of HIV in their body are especially high during seroconversion. Many people with HIV remain well and symptom-free. HIV can live in the body for years without causing obvious damage. But over time, people may experience diarrhoea, minor skin and mouth infections, fatigue, night sweats and persistently swollen glands. Without antiretroviral treatment (ART), HIV eventually causes the immune system to break down to a point where the body cannot cope with illnesses and infections.