December 2011
Introduction
HIV in the UK (2011)
HIV basics
Ways that HIV is not transmitted
Risks for transmission
- Between 100% safety and 100% risk
- You and your partners HIV status
- Viral load
- Sexual activity and condom use
- Oral sex
- Sexual fluid
- Duration of unprotected sex
- Vigorousness of sex
- Genetics
- Medical male circumcision
- Other sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
- Luck (and statistics)
HIV testing: feelings of fear, anxiety and guilt
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Do I have HIV or need to test?
- Symptoms and seroconversion
- Does washing after sex reduce the risk?
- How can my partner test positive and I test negative?
- Are some people protected from infection?
- Risks for men vs women and insertive vs receptive?
PEP, PEPSE and PrEP
HIV testing
- How soon can I take a test?
- What is the window period?
- Where can I test in the UK?
- Why do some UK clinics ask people to wait 3 months?
- What happens when I test?
- How long do results take and how are they reported?
- What does a number on my negative HIV test result mean?
- Test accuracy, results and further testing
- What happens after my test?
- What happens if I am HIV positive?
Skin, mucous membranes and HIV transmission
Timeline for immune responses and testing
Additional sections
- Appendix 1: Different types of HIV test
- Appendix 2: Theoretical risk, population risk & individual risk
- Appendix 3: How HIV tests work
Glossary
Further information and links
References
Feedback
Credits
This guide was written and compiled by Simon Collins for HIV i-Base with appendices written by Charlotte Walker.
Thanks to the community and healthcare professional advisors for comments including Dr David Asboe, Bisi Alimi, Polly Clayden, Paul Clift, Nathan Geffen, Li Marhaban, Angelina Namiba, Emma Rezel, Memory Sachikonye, Tracy Swan, Matt Williams.
Thanks to Monument Trust for funding this publication.
Cover: Untitled, 1984 © Keith Haring Foundation. Used with permission.