World HIV Day: What we know so far?

World HIV Day is an annual event to raise awareness about HIV and Aids but also to highlight and focus on the excellent work that has been done so far in managing and treating this condition. If you are concerned about HIV or other Sexually Transmitted Diseases then contact Pearl Chemist Group’s sexual health services in Wandsworth for fast, confidential and targeted advice.

What are the stages of HIV infection?
There are three stages of HIV infection however, the symptoms will vary in both type and severity from person to person.

  • Stage 1 – following the initial infection, the person can experience a flu-like illness but not everyone will feel like this
  • Stage 2 – after some reaction to the initial infection, many people will start to feel better and this may last for ten years or more and during this time, many people experience no symptoms at all
  • Stage 3 – this is when a person’s immune system is very badly damaged, and they can no longer fight off serious infections and illnesses

The earlier a diagnosis is made, and that person can receive treatment, the better their long-term health will be. Some people experience no symptoms at all during Stage 1 and 2 and may not even know they have the virus. This is why good sexual health is so important because it is easy to pass HIV on without realising.

Can HIV be cured?
There is no cure for HIV but in the 21st century, there are some very effective treatments which means that HIV is no longer the death sentence it once was.

Emergency HIV drugs are available for people who think they have been exposed to the virus and these may stop you becoming infected. This is called Post-exposure Prophylaxis or PEP medicine.

PEP must be started within 72 hours of coming into contact with the virus for it to be effective and is usually only recommended in high-risk situations where a sexual partner is known to be HIV positive.

PEP involves taking HIV treatment every day for one month.

If you have already tested positive for HIV, then you will have regular blood tests to monitor the progress of the infection. An HIV viral load test will monitor the amount of HIV virus in your blood and a CD4 lymphocyte cell count will measure how the HIV has affected your immune system. Treatment can be started at any point following confirmation of the diagnosis.

For sexual health services in Wandsworth, contact Pearl Chemist Group for rapid, confidential and friendly advice.