HIV FAQ

What is HIV?

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus that causes damage to the body's immune system.

What is AIDS?

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) refers to a range of specific illnesses that people with HIV may get when their immune system is badly damaged. This can occur many years after HIV infection.

If a person has HIV, it does not mean they have AIDS. People with HIV can live many years without developing AIDS. Treatments have been effective in ensuring a sharp drop in the number of people with HIV who develop AIDS.

What are the symptoms?

Some people who become infected with HIV will show symptoms. The symptoms can be flu-like and may include fever, swollen glands and a rash on the body. The symptoms will appear in the weeks following infection.

Many people who become infected show no symptoms at all. You can have HIV for many years and not know it.

When a person develops AIDS, symptoms may include a loss of appetite, diarrhoea, weight loss, fever, lethargy, fatigue or the specific symptoms of a number of other illnesses.

How is it transmitted?

By blood, semen or vaginal fluids of an HIV infected person entering the bloodstream of another person.

HIV is usually transmitted through vaginal or anal sex without a condom
HIV can be transmitted by sharing drug injecting equipment, piercing or tattooing equipment
HIV can be passed on from an infected mother to her baby during pregnancy, at childbirth or by breastfeeding*

There have been some cases of HIV transmitted by oral sex. In most of these cases sores, wounds, cuts, herpes or infections in the mouth were present. Without those factors it isn't considered easy for HIV to enter the bloodstream via the mouth or throat.

Pulling out before ejaculation is also unsafe, as fluid leaks from the penis during sex. This fluid can pass HIV and cause pregnancy.

*Breastfeeding. Your doctor will be able to advise you on steps that can be taken to minimise transmission risk by breastfeeding.

You can't catch HIV from

kissing, hugging, sharing utensils, tears, sweat, mosquito bites and casual contact.

How can I prevent transmission?

Use a condom and water based lubricant during sex to protect you against HIV infection.
Use sterile equipment if you inject drugs and do not share any equipment.
Get tested regularly for HIV and Sexually Transmissible Infections (STIs)
Get informed and talk about HIV/AIDS

How is it diagnosed?

HIV can be diagnosed by taking a blood test. The most common test is an antibody test (it tests to see if antibodies have developed in response to exposure to HIV). The antibodies can take up to three months to develop, this is referred to as the ‘window period'. This means you have to wait for three months before testing to be sure of the results of your test.

Post Exposure Prophylaxis

If you believe you have been recently exposed to HIV, within the last 72 hours, there is a four-week treatment that may prevent you becoming infected. It is called PEP (post exposure prophylaxis). Ask your local doctor or sexual health clinic – but you need to do this not more than 72 hours after exposure

How is it treated?

While there is no cure yet for HIV or AIDS yet and no vaccine to prevent infection, there have been significant advances in the treatment of HIV.

The best treatment option available is taking a combination of anti-HIV drugs (known as antiretroviral drugs). The drugs have a range of side effects, from mild to severe and, in addition, require strict adherence to the dosing schedule to be effective.

While not a cure, combination treatments have proven effective for most people with HIV in improving their health and reducing progression to AIDS.

More information on HIV/AIDS, organisations and services in NSW

Facts and statistics

Every minute, almost 80 people are infected with HIV around the world. 1
Every day, an estimated 1,900 children become infected with HIV/AIDS, equating to more than one child every minute. 1
Globally 40 million people are currently living with HIV and of these
- 4.3 million became newly infected in 2006.
- 18 million are women ie 48% of all adults living with HIV worldwide, and 59% for sub-Saharan Africa. 1
25 million people have died of AIDS since 1981, including an estimated 2.9 million deaths in 2006
Diagnoses of HIV in Papua New Guinea, Australia’s closest neighbour, are 57 000 and have been increasing by 2000 annually since 2002. 1
Up to 16,030 Australians are currently living with HIV/AIDS. 1
By the end of 2006, Australia 26,268 people had been infected with HIV, 10,028 had been diagnosed with AIDS and 6,685 had died 1
In Australia, in 2006 there were 998 new diagnoses of HIV infection and 197 new AIDS diagnoses. 1
In NSW an average of 396 diagnoses of HIV infection have been notified each year over the past 5 years. 1
Over the 25 year period 1981-2000, 13 269 men and 856 women have been diagnosed with HIV in NSW. 1
In Australia in 2002-2005, 20 per cent of HIV cases were among people born in non-English speaking regions of the world
In NSW in 2001-2005, 20 per cent of HIV notifications were for people born in non-English speaking countries
Worldwide HIV/AIDS has become a disease of young people. People under 25 years old account for half of all new HIV infections and around 6,000 become infected with HIV every day. 1
The profile of HIV in Australia is very different to the global trend. For example in NSW, the largest proportion of HIV notifications is among men who have sex with men aged 30-39 and 40-49 years. 1
The profile of HIV varies between Australian states. For example, Western Australia had similar trends to NSW until recently, when notifications amongst men and women due to heterosexual sex increased, primarily as a result of overseas travel; and the median age of people receiving HIV+ diagnoses is 41 years for men and 27 years for women. 1

1 Sourced from:

2006 report on the global AIDS epidemic, Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), 2006

2007 Annual Surveillance Report: HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis and Sexually Transmissible Infections in Australia, National Centre in HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research, University of New South Wales, 2007

http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/data/diseases/hiv.html New HIV notifications in people who were NSW residents at the time of diagnosis, by year of diagnosis and case characteristics 1981-2006 , Communicable Diseases Branch, NSW Department of Health.