HIV
According to data collected by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), in 2018 “heterosexual transmission accounted for 31% of HIV diagnoses.”
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that damages the cells in your immune system and weakens your ability to fight everyday infections and disease.
AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) is the name used to describe a number of potentially life-threatening infections and illnesses that happen when your immune system has been severely damaged by the HIV virus.
While AIDS can’t be transmitted from one person to another, the HIV virus can.
There’s currently no cure for HIV, but there are very effective drug treatments that enable most people with the virus to live a long and healthy life.
It is important to remember that with appropriate treatment people with HIV can have a healthy sexual life without the risk of transmitting the virus to their sexual partner.
WHERE TO FIND SUPPORT
The Infectious Diseases service provides care for patients with known or suspected infections, viral hepatitis, travel-related and immuno-comprised hosts infections, including HIV
The Sexual Health Centre offers a HIV community mentoring programme and free 1:1 consultations with an accredited counsellor, that are available for you, your partner or your family.
Man2Man is a national HIV Prevention & Sexual Health Awareness programme targeting men who have sex with men (MSM) in Ireland.