Story maps
故事地圖

Dual protection 雙重保護

(added on 2015/11/30)

©2015 SpatioEpi.com
Data source: UNAIDS, World Bank and published scientific literatures
Map created by CUHK SpatioEpi Group

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Antiretroviral medicines can be used for preventing HIV infection, a new measure referred as ‘prophylaxis’. The map shows the distribution of countries where pilot studies on “Pre-exposure Prophylaxis” (PrEP) for men who have sex with men (MSM) are conducted, as of October 2015. A total of 27 studies are conducted in 14 countries, which are located mainly in Europe and the Americas. In Asia, the only participating country is Thailand.

Before PrEP is prescribed, a negative HIV antibody test result is required. The HIV testing rate among MSM in these countries varied, ranging from 7% to 67%. A higher testing rate may result in a higher number of eligible MSM who can be identified. The community risk of transmission could be minimized if all HIV -ve MSM take PrEP and practise safer sex.

As PrEP involves the prescription of antiretroviral medicine, its access at country level is crucial. Most of the countries on the map have a relatively high coverage of HIV treatment for infected patients, implying that their regularization of a PrEP programme is possible after pilot studies.

Data for the map were retrieved from websites of UNAIDS, World Bank and published scientific literatures.

處方抗病毒藥物是一種新的預防愛滋病毒感染方法。地圖顯示全球參與男同性接觸者『暴露前預防性投藥』先導性研究的國家分佈。2015年10月的資料顯示，十四個國家共參與二十七項研究。這些研究大部份在歐洲及美洲，而亞洲唯一的參與國為泰國。

『暴露前預防性投藥』的目標群眾是沒有感染愛滋病毒的人士。抗體測試率反映社群中得悉自己有否感染的人數。參與研究各國的測試率都不盡相同，而大部份國家男同性接觸者的測試率都較高，顯示適合參加的人數不少。若社群中所有沒有感染的人士都進行安全性行為及服用預防性投藥，感染風險便可大大降低。

此外，由於『暴露前預防性投藥』涉及處方抗病毒藥物，故此藥物的可及性亦是計劃開展的重要一環。地圖中部份國家的愛滋病毒感染者治療覆蓋率都頗高，反映先導性研究結束後，預防性投藥的將可望普及化。

地圖數據源自聯合國愛滋病規劃署、世界銀行及已刊載文獻。

HIV infection 人類免疫力缺乏病毒感染

What is HIV/ AIDS? 什麼是人類免疫力缺乏病毒感染/愛滋病?

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that infects cells of the human immune system, destroying or impairing their function. In the early stages of infection, there is no symptom. As HIV infection progresses, the immune system becomes weaker, thereby increasing susceptibility to opportunistic infections.
The most advanced stage of HIV infection is acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). In the absence of treatment, 50% of the infected individuals progress to AIDS. The use of antiretroviral drugs can reverse the immune deficiency.
人類免疫力缺乏病毒(HIV)是一種感染人類免疫細胞，從而破壞人體免疫系統的反轉病毒。在感染初期，患者可以完全沒有任何病癥。但在感染後期，患者的免疫力會被削弱，容易被其它機會性感染影響。
愛滋病(後天免疫力缺乏症候群) 是人類免疫力缺乏病毒感染的後期嚴重階段。在沒有接受治療的情況下，平均一半感染者在十年內發病，成為愛滋病患者。抗病毒藥物治療可以有效恢復患者免疫能力。

How does HIV spread? 如何傳播？

HIV is transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse (heterosexuals and homosexuals), transfusion of contaminated blood or blood products, sharing of contaminated needles in injection drug users, and between a mother and her infant during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding.
HIV的傳播途徑包括不安全性接觸 (異性及同性) ，輸入受污染血液或血制品、靜脈吸毒者共用針筒、和母嬰傳播（懷孕、分娩、和哺乳期間）。

Vaccine? Prevention? 如何預防？

A safe and effective vaccine is still under development. The practice of safer sex with the use of condom is one most effective means of preventing HIV infection through sex. Avoidance of needle sharing is important in injection drug users, whereas antiretroviral treatment can be effective in preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission.
預防疫苗至今仍在研究中。現時最有效的預防性傳播方法是採用安全性行為，包括使用安全套。吸毒者應避免共同使用針具，而抗病毒藥物則可以有效預防母嬰傳播。

PrEP 暴露前預防性投藥

Safer sex has long been shown to be the most effective means of HIV prevention. PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is one latest strategy to reduce HIV transmission by daily intake of an antiretroviral (ARV) medicine, which can be provided to people with high risk behaviours in addition safer sex promotion. Studies have reported an 80% protection rate among men who have sex with men, while the condom usage rate remained unchanged. Like other medications, adherence is an important factor in ensuring effectiveness. It has been shown that higher adherence is correlated with a greater level of protection.

安全性行為是眾所週知最有效預防愛滋病毒感染的方法，而『暴露前預防性投藥』是另一項預防感染的新措施。對一些高危行為人士，除了推行安全性行為外，透過每天服用抗病毒藥物可以減低愛滋病毒傳播機會。研究結果顯示『暴露前預防性投藥』令男同性接觸者的感染風險減低超過八成，而使用安全套的比例沒有因此下降。不過，要有效減低感染愛滋病的風險，服藥的依從性是相當重要。