HIV & AIDS

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV infects and attacks the immune system, reducing a person's protection against infection and cancers. AIDS is short for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome and is usually diagnosed when you are HIV positive and have one or more opportunistic infections.

How do I get it?

• Vaginal, oral or anal sexual intercourse or any exchange of body fluids with an infected partner
• Untreated blood products from an infected source
• Sharing needles
• Mothers may pass the infection on to their babies

Symptoms

• May be no symptoms
• May be a flu-like illness some weeks after initial infection
• If untreated HIV progresses to AIDS when there may then be a variety of symptoms including pneumonia, skin lesions, night sweats and severe weight loss

Diagnosis

• By blood tests

Treatment

• There is no cure for HIV at present but good medical treatment dramatically improves life expectancy

Follow Up

• Referral to specialist clinic
• Full screening for other sexually transmitted infections
• Screening for partners

Contact

• Cathal Brugha Street Clinic, D 1
• Tallaght Clinic, Tallaght Shopping Centre, D 24