Health experts have warned against complacency

The message has been issued to coincide with the thirteenth World Aids Day.

In the past year, five million people have been infected with HIV worldwide.

Dr James Inglis, a consultant in public health medicine at the Health Education Board for Scotland, said people needed to be reminded that there was no cure for Aids.

Although treating the disease has become more successful, many of the drugs can have have other adverse effects on patients.

Talking about Aids

The board has urged people to talk about Aids and HIV, and to recognise the real threat posed.

It said that while schools had kept the topic on the agenda, there had been a decrease over the past decade in parents and teenagers talking about the issue.

Dr Inglis said: "HIV continues to pose a real threat to the sexually active population of Scotland.

"People need to be reminded that there is no cure for Aids and, although treating the disease has become more successful, many of the drugs available have highly unpleasant side effects."