HIV

Do you know what Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is and how it affects the body?

HIV is the virus that causes AIDS.  HIV weakens the immune system, so that an infected person has problems fighting off infections.

A person with HIV is diagnosed with AIDS after developing one of the CDC-defined AIDS indicator illnesses. A HIV positive person who has not had any serious illnesses can also receive an AIDS diagnosis through certain blood tests (CD4+ counts).

Do you know how HIV is spread?

HIV is spread through any of the following routes:

	Contaminated blood and blood products
	Sexual activity with a person who has HIV
	Parentally from an infected mother to her child

HIV is not spread by air, water, food or close (casual) contact with a person with HIV such as hugging, holding hands, crying.

Do you know how many people have HIV/AIDS in the United Kingdom?

At the moment in the UK has an estimated 41,200 people living with HIV/AIDS and about 30% undiagnosed.

Between 2003 and June 2004 there have been approximately 1323 new cases diagnosed in the UK. For more information on HIV/AIDS statistics see www.avert.org.

Sharps injuries at work

Needlestick injuries are the most common occupationally-acquired blood-borne infections in healthcare workers. The majority of these injuries occur after the needle has been used e.g. after an injection and blood taking. The highest activity where a sharps injury occurs is re-capping needles and it is estimated that 25-30% of sharps injuries occur this way. Therefore the safe disposal of sharp instruments is paramount. Check out safe disposal of sharps.

The Occupational transmission risk for HIV following injury with a sharp instrument, 1 in 300.

Hepatitis B has the highest transmission risk of 1 in 3 and then Hepatitis C, 1 in 30.