Facts about HIV

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. More than
42,000,000 are living with HIV worldwide.

You can not contact HIV from kissing, coughing, sneezing or sharing food.

Every six hours a person in the UK is infected by HIV.

Sub-Saharan Africa is the worst affected region in the world. There are 25,000,000 living with a HIV.

If you share needles or other drug injecting equipment that contains traces of HIV you can become infected.

Worlds Aids Day takes place on December 1.

There is no vaccine as yet.

There are numerous potential vaccines undergoing extensive trials at the moment. Even if they prove to be a benefit it will take several years these are available on the global market.

Since AIDS was first identified over 20 years ago 20,000,000 people have died due to the virus.

HIV is a virus that leads to the incurable and life threatening disease that is AIDS.

An HIV test is a simple blood test that checks for antibodies. Antibodies are your body's response to a viral infection.

The signs of HIV may take up to three months to show up in your blood.

An HIV positive test indicates HIV antibodies were found in your blood and you have been infected.

If you live in Tameside, and are aged between 13 and 25 and want more information about HIV and AIDS, contact the Information Shop for Young People in Ashton on 0161 308 3388.

Author: Andrew Campbell
Tameside iJourno group