HIV

In Britain there's a serious epidemic of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) among men who have sex with men.

About 1 in 20 gay and bisexual men in England and Wales is HIV positive, while in cities like London and Brighton, the number is up to 1 in 8 or 1 in 7.

But lots of men don't know they've got HIV, as they haven't had a test. This could be as many as 1 in every 2 or 3 men.

And the numbers are growing. Each year over 2,000 gay and bisexual men find out they have HIV.

There's no vaccine or cure for HIV. But there is effective treatment available in the UK. Find out how HIV is passed on and what kind of sex puts you at risk.

What does HIV do to the body?

HIV weakens the immune system so it can't fight infections properly. This can lead to serious illnesses.

HIV is not the same as AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). AIDS is the term used when someone's immune system is damaged so much by HIV that certain symptoms and illnesses, such as cancers and pneumonias, start to appear.

There is medication that can stop HIV damaging the immune system so that it can still work properly. Many people with HIV can now expect to live normal lives and not die young.

Signs and symptoms

In the weeks after HIV has entered your body you may get symptoms that are like having flu, such as a fever, swollen glands, sore throat or a rash. This is when the body converts from being negative to positive. It is called a 'sero-conversion illness'. Not everyone gets these symptoms when they are infected with HIV.

After this, you may have no signs or symptoms of HIV infection for months or years. But over time, you may get infections as your immune system gets weaker. You can't tell by looking at someone if they've got HIV or not.