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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.

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