European HIV-Hepatitis Testing Week 2016
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18 - 25 NOVEMBER <strong>2016</strong><br />
EUROPEAN<br />
<strong>HIV</strong>-HEPATITIS<br />
TESTING<br />
WEEK
Contents<br />
<strong>HIV</strong> & hepatitis 3<br />
What is <strong>HIV</strong>? 4<br />
What is hepatitis? 5<br />
<strong>Hepatitis</strong> B 6<br />
<strong>Hepatitis</strong> C 6<br />
Why should I get tested? 7<br />
Am I at risk? 8<br />
How does testing work? 9<br />
Where can I get tested? 10<br />
Useful links 11
<strong>HIV</strong> & hepatitis<br />
>6,600 >43,000<br />
It is estimated over 6,600 people in Scotland<br />
are living with <strong>HIV</strong>* —<br />
It is estimated that 36,000 people in Scotland<br />
are living with chronic hepatitis C** —<br />
• 5,030 people have been diagnosed.<br />
• Another 1,600 people may be infected but<br />
are undiagnosed.<br />
• 1 in every 802 people in Scotland is <strong>HIV</strong><br />
positive.<br />
• In 2014, there were 374 new diagnoses<br />
of <strong>HIV</strong> in Scotland — around one new<br />
diagnosis a day.<br />
• Around 40% of these are estimated to be<br />
unaware they are carrying the virus.<br />
• Just under 1% of Scotland’s adult<br />
population has hepatitis C.<br />
• In 2015, there were 1821 new diagnoses<br />
of hepatitis C in Scotland — around 5 new<br />
diagnoses a day.<br />
<strong>Hepatitis</strong> B infections are a growing cause<br />
of concern, with between 7,000 and 15,000<br />
affected.<br />
3<br />
*Figures from Health Protection Scotland 2015<br />
**Figures from Health Protection Scotland <strong>2016</strong>
What is <strong>HIV</strong>?<br />
<strong>HIV</strong> (human immunodeficiency virus) attacks the body’s immune system and weakens its<br />
ability to fight infections and other diseases, like cancer.<br />
A person with <strong>HIV</strong> is at risk of developing serious infections, which a healthy immune<br />
system would otherwise be able to defend against.<br />
When a person is described as living with <strong>HIV</strong>, they have the <strong>HIV</strong> virus in their body. If<br />
they do not receive medication, a person with <strong>HIV</strong> can develop AIDS (Acquired Immune<br />
Deficiency Syndrome) — the final stage of <strong>HIV</strong> infection. At this stage, a person’s body<br />
has difficulty fighting life-threatening infections.<br />
<strong>HIV</strong> is transmitted through infected blood, semen, vaginal fluids, rectal secretions or<br />
breast milk. The most common means of transmission are through condomless sex or<br />
sharing infected needles, syringes and associated paraphernalia.<br />
4
What is hepatitis?<br />
Viral hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. <strong>Hepatitis</strong> can lead to life-threatening<br />
complications such as cirrhosis (liver scarring), liver failure, and liver cancer. There<br />
are five different viruses which cause hepatitis.<br />
<strong>Hepatitis</strong> B and C are common among people who are at risk of, and those who live with,<br />
<strong>HIV</strong>. They are spread in the same ways — through injection drug use and condomless sex.<br />
50-90% of people who inject drugs and are <strong>HIV</strong> positive also have hepatitis C.<br />
If you have previously had either virus but cleared it naturally your test will show you have<br />
antibodies to the virus but not the active infection.<br />
5
<strong>Hepatitis</strong> B<br />
<strong>Hepatitis</strong> B can be spread through contact<br />
with blood, bodily fluids, saliva, semen<br />
and vaginal fluid and from mother to child<br />
during birth.<br />
The vast majority (95%) of people<br />
infected as adults will clear the hepatitis B<br />
virus from their bodies naturally during the<br />
acute phase, meaning they will require no<br />
medical treatment.<br />
If you are infected by hepatitis B when you<br />
are an infant you are 95% likely to not clear<br />
the virus and have a chronic infection.<br />
<strong>Hepatitis</strong> C<br />
<strong>Hepatitis</strong> C is primarily spread through<br />
blood to blood contact, but can<br />
occasionally be transmitted sexually and<br />
from mother to child during pregnancy.<br />
Sexual transmission is more common<br />
among <strong>HIV</strong>-infected men who have sex with<br />
men.<br />
Around 1 in 5 people naturally clear<br />
hepatitis C after first being infected, most<br />
frequently within the first 6 months of<br />
becoming infected.<br />
6
Why should I get tested?<br />
It is better for people who may be at risk of <strong>HIV</strong> and/or hepatitis to know their status as<br />
soon as possible.<br />
Treatments available today for <strong>HIV</strong> and hepatitis B mean that people living with both can<br />
live healthily for a long time if they are diagnosed early.<br />
The advances made recently in hepatitis C treatments mean that those with hepatitis C<br />
can be cured.<br />
When people are diagnosed with <strong>HIV</strong> or hepatitis late, they are less likely to respond to<br />
treatment and are more likely to have health or treatment-related complications.<br />
7
Am I at risk?<br />
You are at risk of getting <strong>HIV</strong> if you have<br />
ever:<br />
• Had condomless sex<br />
• Used intravenous drugs and shared<br />
needles or syringes<br />
• Had multiple sex partners<br />
• Another STI, e.g. syphilis<br />
• Been diagnosed with or sought<br />
treatment for hepatitis or TB<br />
You are at risk of getting hepatitis if you:<br />
• Have had condomless sex, including<br />
anal and oral sex<br />
• Have used intravenous drugs and shared<br />
needles or syringes<br />
• Have had multiple sex partners<br />
• Are on long-term haemodialysis<br />
• Have haemophilia<br />
• Have received unscreened blood, blood<br />
products or organs<br />
• Are born to a mother with the virus<br />
• Have not been vaccinated for hepatitis B<br />
8
How does testing work?<br />
The sooner you get tested, the sooner you are aware whether you have been exposed to a virus and<br />
whether you have a chronic infection. If you have a chronic infection you are then able to start lifesaving<br />
treatment and minimise the risk of transmitting the virus to someone else. <strong>Testing</strong> is widely<br />
available, and the procedures are simple.<br />
<strong>HIV</strong><br />
The most common form of <strong>HIV</strong> test is a blood<br />
test, where a small amount of blood is taken and<br />
examined.<br />
Delaying testing and access to treatment for <strong>HIV</strong><br />
will allow the virus to spread in your body and<br />
damage your health.<br />
<strong>Hepatitis</strong><br />
In some areas saliva tests are available, where a<br />
small sample of saliva is taken using a mouth swab.<br />
Other areas make use of dry blood spot testing,<br />
where the finger or heel is pricked and a spot of<br />
blood is blotted onto filter paper.<br />
The tests used can usually detect whether a person<br />
has <strong>HIV</strong> within a month of their infection. Before<br />
someone is given a positive result, however, the<br />
blood is tested several times in order to ensure a<br />
correct diagnosis.<br />
9<br />
For hepatitis, the initial test is an antibody test<br />
which is usually carried out using a blood sample.<br />
<strong>Hepatitis</strong> B and C can usually be detected in the<br />
blood 2-3 months after exposure.<br />
Delaying testing and access to treatment for<br />
hepatitis will allow the virus to cause further<br />
damage to the liver, which may lead to extensive<br />
liver disease and, in some cases, liver cancer.
Where can I get tested?<br />
<strong>HIV</strong> and/or hepatitis tests are often offered<br />
by the following:<br />
• Sexual health clinics, also called<br />
genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics<br />
• Hospitals, department of infectious<br />
diseases<br />
• Clinics or testing sites run by community<br />
based <strong>HIV</strong>/hepatitis organisations or<br />
charities<br />
• Some GP surgeries and GPs<br />
• Some contraception and young people’s<br />
clinics<br />
• Local drugs agencies<br />
• Antenatal clinics, if you are pregnant<br />
• Private clinics<br />
To find <strong>HIV</strong> testing, treatment and support<br />
services in your area, use <strong>HIV</strong> Scotland’s<br />
service finder.<br />
To find hepatitis testing, treatment and<br />
support services in your area, use our<br />
service finder.<br />
10
Useful links<br />
<strong>Hepatitis</strong> Scotland<br />
<strong>Hepatitis</strong> Scotland is the national voluntary sector organisation funded by the Scottish<br />
Government to help improve responses to viral hepatitis prevention, treatment and<br />
support.<br />
www.hepatitisscotland.org.uk<br />
<strong>HIV</strong> Scotland<br />
<strong>HIV</strong> Scotland is the national <strong>HIV</strong> policy organisation for Scotland.<br />
www.hivscotland.com<br />
Waverley Care<br />
Waverley Care is Scotland’s largest charity providing care and support to people living<br />
with <strong>HIV</strong> and hepatitis C, and to their partners, families and carers.<br />
www.waverleycare.org<br />
11
<strong>Hepatitis</strong> Scotland<br />
91 Mitchell Street<br />
Glasgow<br />
G1 3LN<br />
Tel +44 (0) 141 225 0419<br />
Fax +44 (0) 141 248 6414<br />
Website www.hepatitisscotland.org.uk<br />
Email enquiries@hepatitisscotland.org.uk<br />
<strong>Hepatitis</strong> Scotland<br />
Information, training & support on viral hepatitis<br />
<strong>Hepatitis</strong> Scotland is the national voluntary sector organisation<br />
funded by the Scottish Government to help improve responses to<br />
viral hepatitis prevention, treatment and support.<br />
Registered Scottish charity, registered SC 008075.