HIV and AIDS

Travel plans for people living with HIV should be made in conjunction with the traveller’s HIV specialist. Many travel related infections, including malaria, can be much more severe in people who are HIV positive particularly if they are immunosuppressed. Good pre-travel planning is essential. Interruption of HIV medication due to travel plans is dangerous and should be avoided. In adults, the CD4 count is the key blood test that gives a measure of the level of immunosuppression and helps quantify risk of infection and guides vaccination. Inactivated vaccines are safe to administer, but may be less effective – especially at lower CD4 counts. Certain live vaccines are contraindicated for people living with HIV, and some can only be administered if the patient’s CD4 count is greater than 200cells/ml (or a CD4 proportion of > 15 percent in children). Antiretroviral (ART) medication has the potential for multiple drug-drug interactions. Before prescribing any additional medication be sure to check for drug-drug interactions.