What Is HIV

HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system, which is our body’s natural defence against illness. The virus destroys a type of white blood cell in the immune system called a T-helper cell, and makes copies of itself inside these cells. T-helper cells are also referred to as CD4 cells. As HIV destroys more CD4 cells and makes more copies of itself, it gradually breaks down a person’s immune system. This means someone living with HIV, who is not receiving treatment, will find it harder and harder to fight off infections and diseases. If HIV is left untreated, it may take up to 10 or 15 years for the immune system to be so severely damaged it can no longer defend itself at all. However, the speed HIV progresses will vary depending on age, health and background.

Contact With Certain Body Fluids.These body fluids include:

Pregency

You can also spread HIV from an infected mother to her child through pregnancy

Sharing Needles

HIV is sometimes spread by sharing needles with infected people

Ways You Cannot Get HIV

You can’t get HIV by shaking hands or hugging a person infected with HIV. You also can’t get HIV from contact with objects such as dishes, toilet seats, or doorknobs used by a person with HIV. HIV does not spread through the air or through mosquito, tick, or other insect bites. HIV doesn't live in saliva, tears, pee, or sweat -- so it can't be spread by casual contact with these body fluids. Blood transfusions and transplants used in the United States and Western Europe today are safe because they are tested for HIV. Someone who donates HIV-positive blood will be contacted so they can be tested by their doctor, and they won't be able to give blood again.

What Is The Treatment For HIV?

The use of HIV medicines to treat HIV infection is called antiretroviral therapy (ART). ART involves taking a combination of HIV medicines (called an HIV regimen) every day. (HIV medicines are often called antiretrovirals or ARVs.)


ART can’t cure HIV, but it can help people infected with HIV live longer, healthier lives. ART also reduces the risk of HIV transmission.

What are the symptoms of HIV/AIDS?

Soon after infection with HIV, some people have flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache, or rash. The symptoms may come and go for a month or two after infection. After this earliest stage of HIV infection, HIV continues to multiply but at very low levels. More severe symptoms of HIV infection, such as chronic diarrhea, rapid weight loss, and signs of opportunistic infections, generally don’t appear for many years. Without treatment, HIV can advance to AIDS. HIV transmission is possible at any stage of HIV infection—even if an HIV-infected person has no symptoms of HIV.