#ItsASin thread:1/x
Before we knew that a virus was causing the mystery illness that seemed to only affected gay men it was referred to as a cancer.Then it was called Gay Related Immune Deficiency (GRID).Now we know it's a virus-HIV- & can affect anyone- regardless of sexuality.

2/x often the rarer infections such as an unusual pneumonia, rare cancers and skin rashes etc were the trigger for suspecting the immune system was not working as it should. #AIDS But there was no #HIVtest available until 1985. #ItsASin

3/x now we have simple, accurate and quick tests to diagnose HIV long before it compromises your immune system. Our joint guidelines with @BASHH_UK and @biainfection can be found here: https://www.bhiva.org/HIV-testing-guidelines #HIV #HIVTest #ItsASin @Channel4

4/x And if you do have a positive test, there is an army of people-medical and non medical to support you through it, guide you through treatment (as little as a pill a day) and help you stay healthy. And to help you protect your partners... #HIV #ItsASin

5/x.Just a pill a day can help you get a stable undetectable HIV viral load (I.e.we cannot detect the virus in their blood because the drugs are suppressing it from replicating).If you are #Undetectable, you cannot sexually transmit #HIV: undetectable = untransmittable #UequalsU