HIV is a disease that affects the immune system in a human, for which there is currently no cure. However, people who have HIV are now able to receive treatment that helps them to stay well and live longer. It can only be caught through exchange of bodily fluids, most commonly through sexual intercourse. The virus can be found in any bodily fluid, including sweat, saliva and urine, however it is in such a low concentration that it is highly unlikely that you would become infected with the virus. This means that kissing a person with HIV would not pose much risk; the main concern would be if they had gum disease, causing bleeding in the mouth.

It is incredibly important to inform anyone who you have had contact with, that could result in them contracting HIV, if you find out that you are carrying the disease. It is also important that you visit a GUM clinic to get a sexual health screening, to include an HIV test, after any unprotected sex you have had. Here at Same Day Doctor we can provide you with an HIV test that will enable you to have the results within one minute. Standard GUM clinics use different tests, which will take longer and will usually only be accurate three months after contracting the disease.

The best way to protect yourself against HIV is to always use condoms when entering into a new sexual relationship. It is also advisable for both partners to get STD tests prior to intercourse, even if they are certain that they have nothing. If you are sexually active with more than one partner it may also be in your best interests to visit a GUM clinic periodically, to ensure that no new infections have been caught, especially for infections like HIV, which can take time to be picked up by tests.