After reports emerged this week regarding former Gunner Emmanuel Eboue, we decided an informative piece on HIV was needed.

First and foremost, Eboue has NOT been diagnosed with HIV.

His agent, Tekin Birinci, has revealed that abnormal blood values were found when the defender tried to complete his medical with new club Türk Ocağı Limasol. However, speaking to Goal, Birinci clarified that although Eboue will undergo further tests, he’s not been diagnosed.

Still, there’s never a bad time to spread awareness on such a subject.

What is HIV?

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus which attacks the immune system. This means that small infections can severely affect those who test positive.

It’s important to note that HIV is not the same as AIDS. However, AIDS can develop when a person’s immune system has become badly damaged by HIV and they catch an infection.

How does it spread?

While HIV is contagious and can be passed on through unprotected intercourse, sharing infected needles, or from a mother to baby in the womb or during breast-feeding, AIDS cannot be caught.

Treatment

Once HIV is caught, it’s very treatable with modern medicine. However, the earlier the better.

Antiretroviral medications are used to slow the virus down. This allows the body to heal itself, which in turn prevents further damage which could lead to AIDS.

While HIV can develop a resistance to a single drug, this is why several different ones are usually administered in order to combat it.

If a suffer takes their medication daily as instructed by their doctor, the aim is to have an undetectable viral load, which means that the HIV can no longer be detected with tests.

Doctors also recommend that those who are HIV positive eat healthily, don’t move and take regular exercise, as well as get the flu jab to protect themselves from infections.

HIV myths busted

  • People living with HIV don’t always have AIDS but you must have HIV to have aids.
  • People living with HIV do not always ‘look sick’ – if treated early enough, they can actually live normal lives.
  • HIV is not a death sentence – read above.
  • Straight people get HIV – in fact, according to a 2014 UK report, 43,500 men who sleep with men were diagnosed as HIV positive compared to 60,000 heterosexual people. While this is largely down to there being more heterosexual people in the first place, this proves that HIV doesn’t discriminate and can affect anyone from anywhere. Ignorant jokes don’t help.

Sources: NHS, Gov.uk.