HIV and AIDS
What is HIV?
HIV is a virus that can damage the body's defence system so that it cannot easily fight off certain infections. Once HIV infection is established it stays in the body for life.
If someone with HIV goes on to get certain illnesses, they are said to have AIDS. In the UK there are three main ways in which HIV can be passed on:
- by having penetrative sex without a condom with someone who has HIV;
- by using needles, syringes or other drug-injecting equipment that are infected with HIV;
- from a woman with HIV to her baby during pregnancy, at birth or through breast-feeding.
World-wide, the most common way of becoming infected is by sex between men and women. In the UK, most new infections are amongst gay and bisexual men, although the rate of HIV infection amongst heterosexual men and women is rising.
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) was first reported in 1981. Today the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which causes AIDS, is present in virtually every country in the world and continues to spread faster than international efforts to stop it.
Every day an estimated 7500 adults and 1000 children across the world become infected.
In the UK, 30,700 people are reported to have contracted HIV since records began in 1984.
In Fife currently 114 people are known to have HIV with 31 people progressing to an AIDS diagnosis.
(Source: Scottish Centre for Infection - Oct 2000).
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More information can be found in these resources:
- HIV and Hepatitis presentation
(2.6MB) and 
(10.5MB). - Fife Positive Support leaflet Part 1 (1.9MB) and Part 2 (1.3MB).
- Working with children infected and affected by HIV and blood borne viruses (0.5MB) and (1.7MB).
- Men's health & well being programme (13KB).
- Loss and Attachment - HIV home support team presentation (0.4MB).
World AIDS Day
As well as our year-round activities, we do additional work around World AIDS Day (1st December) each year. Some of the posters, press releases and information from past events are available here:
- 2006: Press release , a letter sent to all Fife schools , the 2006 events guide , and scripts from the HIV and AIDS information broadcasts by Kingdom FM .
- 2005: Press release part 1 and part 2 , and our poster .
- 2004: Leaflet part 1 and part 2 .