What is HIV?
HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It is the virus that leads
to AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)
The most widely recognised ways of acquiring HIV are:
- Having unprotected vaginal, anal or oral sex with someone who is infected
- Sharing needles, syringes or other drug injecting equipment with someone
who is infected
- Receiving a transfusion of blood/blood products contaminated with
HIV
- From an infected mother to her baby during pregnancy, at birth or
through breast feeding
HIV is NOT passed on through everyday social contact with an infected
person such as touching, shaking hands, kissing, coughing or sneezing
HIV and health
People infected with HIV usually have no symptoms for a prolonged period
of time, while the virus slowly attacks and weakens the body's immune
system. When this happens, a person will become vulnerable to illnesses
(often referred to as Opportunistic Infections), that a healthy immune
system would usually be able to fight off. At this stage of infection,
the person is often diagnosed as having AIDS. Progression from HIV to
AIDS varies from person to person and can be affected by many factors
including stage at diagnosis and treatment.
Currently, no vaccine or cure for HIV is available. Once a person contracts
HIV, he/she will remain infected with the virus for life and be able
to transmit it to others. People with HIV infection will almost certainly
die. Combination anti-retroviral therapy (sometimes called Highly Active
Antiretroviral Therapy or HAART) suppresses HIV and can reverse damage
to the immune system, thus prolonging the lives of those infected.
People with HIV in Scotland
By 31 March 2008, 5530 HIV infections had been diagnosed in Scotland since the epidemic began in the early 1980s; at least 1562 (28%) are known to have died.
Recent years have seen a rise in the annual number of HIV diagnoses in Scotland. The major factors contributing to the rise has been the increase in the numbers of previously infected individuals from high prevalence regions such as sub-Saharan Africa coming to Scotland, coupled with a substantial rise in number seeking out a diagnostic HIV test.
The annual number of men who have sex with men (MSM) diagnosed with HIV has also seen a rise in recent years; this stems from a number of factors including increased HIV testing, particularly in the genitourinary medicine clinic setting, and continued transmission of HIV.
The number of diagnoses among injecting drug users (IDUs) decreased following the introduction of harm reduction measures in the early 1990s and has remained relatively low since.
Currently the number of people living with diagnosed HIV is rising each year due to increased numbers of new diagnoses and decreasing deaths due to antiretroviral therapies. Consequently, the number of HIV-infected individuals in specialist care and receiving anti-retroviral therapy in Scotland is increasing; Greater Glasgow and Lothian NHS Boards manage the majority of cases.
Information sources about HIV in Scotland
Staff at Health Protection Scotland (formerly the Scottish Centre for
Infection and Environmental Health) together with HIV virologists/microbiologists,
clinicians, and immunologists collect epidemiological data on diagnosed
and undiagnosed HIV infection in Scotland.
Many HIV infected persons in Scotland have not yet had their infection
diagnosed. The infection is still frequently regarded as stigmatising
and may remain silent for several years. For these reasons several surveillance
methods are employed to further our understanding of the epidemiology
of the infection and associated disease.
Surveillance Systems
Further information
Trends in the surveillance of blood-borne viruses such as HIV, Hepatitis
C and Hepatitis B are presented in Annual
Data Tables.
The tables provide data on reporting, testing, monitoring, and prevalence
which are not routinely published elsewhere.
The HPS website provides access to information on a wide range of subjects
contained within our extensive knowledge base.
Use the links below to browse information for this particular subject area:
Back |
Print this Page
| 
Back to Top