HIV

ESDGP MMWR Rapid HIV testing info (PDF)

What is HIV/AIDS?

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus which gradually destroys the immune system of the infected person. The immune system becomes weak and can no longer fight infections. At this point the person may be diagnosed with 'acquired immune deficiency syndrome' (AIDS) - symptoms may include persistent severe diarrhoea, fever, pneumonia, or skin cancer.

How common is HIV/AIDS in Australia?

At the end of 2003, the total number of HIV infections diagnosed in Australia was estimated to be 20,580 and an estimated 13,630 people were living with HIV infection.

The number of newly diagnosed cases of HIV in Australia fell to 782 in 2003, down from 831 in 2002 but higher than the 2001 figure of 692.

Who is most at risk of HIV/AIDS in Australia?

Transmission of HIV in Australia continues to be mainly through sexual contact between men, which was reported in more than 85 per cent of new cases diagnosed from 1999 to 2003. In other regions of the world, HIV/AIDS is mainly transferred by heterosexual contact.

The per capita rate of HIV and AIDS diagnoses among Indigenous people was similar to that among non-Indigenous people but a higher proportion of HIV diagnoses were among women and/or attributed to injecting drug use or heterosexual contact.

Other information sites.

www.health.gov.au

Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations (AFAO)

What does AFAO do?

AFAO is the national federation for the HIV community response. We provide leadership, coordination and support to the national policy, advocacy and health promotion response to HIV/AIDS. Internationally we contribute to the development of effective policy and programmatic responses to HIV/AIDS at regional and global levels.

AFAO's work is primarily directed towards population groups where we have the highest level of expertise and where the incidence of HIV or the risk of HIV is greatest, namely: gay men, HIV positive people, injecting drug users, sex workers and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

AFAO vision:

Living in a world with AIDS, working for a world without AIDS.