New rapid HIV tests hope to tackle Glasgow outbreak

New HIV tests that provide results in minutes have been introduced in Glasgow to help tackle the worst outbreak of the infection in decades.

Addiction workers are offering the new finger prick blood tests at needle exchanges in the city as part of work to tackle the spread of the virus among drug users who share needles.

Previously, test results could take up to two weeks to come back from the laboratory and it could be difficult to trace people to tell them the outcome.

Around 170 people are believed to have contracted HIV in the current outbreak but it is feared the number may be higher as many drug users do not engage with needle exchange services that offer blood tests.

Alan Eagleson, Glasgow Service Manager at Terrence Higgins Trust, said: "Currently in Scotland around 9% of people don’t know they have the condition therefore we need to increase testing to bring that number down."

"Rapid HIV testing, meaning you’re getting results straight away just within minutes of providing the finger prick blood sample, can be really important for someone who has a chaotic lifestyle due to drug use because it reduces the issue of having to track the person down within a few weeks in order to relay results. This means you can form a plan and a strategy straight away."

“The earlier someone gets tested, the earlier they get diagnosed and the earlier they can get on to treatment. Someone who is on successful treatment for HIV will very rapidly achieve an undetectable viral load and that means they can’t pass their HIV on to sexual partners.”

John Campbell, injecting equipment provision improvement manager at Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership (GCHSCP), said: "Currently, people are injecting outdoors in filthy, sometimes urine-soaked alleyways or on derelict ground.

"This is causing all sorts of harms from ulcers and maggot-infested wounds to HIV and Hepatitis C infections.''

• HIV
• drugs
• Glasgow