HIV
Learn about testing, prevention, and treatment for HIV.
What is HIV?
HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It is a virus that attacks the cells of the body’s immune system, which helps protect you from getting sick. HIV weakens the immune system, which leads to other infections and illnesses. There is no cure for HIV, but there are highly effective treatments that allow people living with HIV to live long and healthy lives. Taking medicine also prevents spreading it to other people. Without treatment, HIV can turn into acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or advanced HIV infection, a life-threatening condition.
If you’re HIV-positive, learn how to navigate your care and get the support you need.
How is HIV spread?
Body fluids that can carry and spread HIV include:
- Blood
- Semen and pre-ejaculate (precum)
- Fluids from the vagina
- Fluids from the rectum/anus
- Expressed human milk (breast milk)
HIV can spread through:
- Having vaginal or anal sex with someone with HIV without using protection/barriers
- Sharing needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment (for example, cottons, cookers, or water used to prepare drugs for injection) with someone who has HIV
- Pregnancy, childbirth, and/or breastfeeding or chestfeeding
To spread from one person to another, body fluids containing HIV (from an infected person) must come into contact with broken skin (damaged tissue) around the penis, vagina, mouth, or rectum (mucous membranes), or be injected into veins carrying blood. HIV is much more likely to spread when the person with HIV is not taking HIV medication and has a high viral load (a high amount of HIV in the body). Additionally, having an untreated sexually transmitted infection (STI) can increase the risk of getting or spreading HIV.
What are the symptoms of HIV?
Not every person infected with HIV becomes sick right away. Some people may not have symptoms, and some may have flu-like symptoms such as fever, sore throat, and headaches within two to four weeks of infection. Those symptoms are also called acute retroviral syndrome. HIV is often spread by people who don’t have symptoms and may not be aware that they are infected. Getting tested is the only way to know if you have HIV.
Without treatment for HIV, the disease will eventually turn into acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, known as AIDS. Treatment is the best way to minimize symptoms and prevent the illness from getting worse.
Having HIV can make your immune system weak and make it more likely for you to become sick with other illnesses. These are called opportunistic infections and can include:
- Tuberculosis (infection in the lungs)
- Meningitis (infection of the nervous system)
- Infections from viruses like herpes, shingles, or hepatitis
- Fungal infections, like thrush or pneumonia (infection of the lungs)
- Some cancers
When should I get tested for HIV?
The CDC recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once during their lifetime. Testing at least one time every year is also recommended for people who have a higher risk. You can be at higher risk if:
- You’re a man who has sex with other men
- You’ve had anal or vaginal sex with a partner who has HIV infection
- You’ve had more than one sex partner since your last HIV test
- You’ve shared needles, syringes, and/or other drug injection equipment
- You’ve been diagnosed or treated for another sexually transmitted disease, hepatitis, or tuberculosis
- You’ve ever had sex with someone whose sexual history and HIV status you do not know
You might benefit from more frequent testing if you do things that might increase your chance of getting HIV. Talk to your health care provider about how often you should get tested for HIV.
How do I get tested for HIV?
HIV infection is diagnosed by performing tests, usually on a sample of your blood taken from a vein or from your finger.
It’s important to note that no HIV test can detect the virus immediately after infection. It may take several weeks after exposure before a test can detect HIV infection.
You can get tested for HIV in most clinics and hospitals. Contact your health care provider to get tested. If you do not have a health care provider, find one near you. There are also HIV tests you can take at home.
What is the treatment for HIV?
Though HIV cannot be cured, it can be successfully treated with medications. Antiretroviral therapy (ART), a term that refers to medications used to treat HIV, can reduce the amount of virus in the body to an undetectable level (not having enough HIV in the body to be detected by a lab test) when taken as prescribed. This is also called an undetectable viral load. Having an undetectable viral load means that HIV will not be transmitted during sex or pregnancy.
ART allows people living with HIV to live long and healthy lives. People living with HIV should talk to a health care provider about ART as soon as possible after receiving their diagnosis.
How can I prevent HIV?
There is no vaccine to prevent HIV infection. However, you can protect yourself and reduce the risk of HIV infection by:
- Taking a medication before or after a potential exposure, known as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) or post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).
- Getting tested for HIV and STIs and talking to your partners about your status before sex.
- Trying sexual activities that have a lower risk of spreading HIV, such as oral sex or masturbation
- Using condoms and water- or silicone-based lube consistently during sex
- Accessing a syringe service program (SSP) or a pharmacy for clean needles or syringes
People who live with HIV can help prevent spreading it to other people by taking their Antiretroviral therapy (ART) medication every day as prescribed, so that the virus becomes undetectable in their blood. When the virus cannot be detected, it cannot be passed to sexual partners.
I tested positive for HIV. What should I do next?
Learn what you can do immediately after a positive HIV test result, including how to protect your partners.
Also learn more about living with HIV.
Looking for sexual health services?
Find low- to no-cost sexual health services near you, like PrEP, STI testing, and more on the Service Locator Map.
Is PrEP right for you?
PrEP is a medication that helps prevent HIV. Take a short quiz to find out if it may be right for you.