About HIV

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV weakens a person’s immune system by destroying CD4 cells, which are an important type of white blood cell that helps the body fight off diseases and illnesses.

HIV can only be passed through 5 body fluids:

HIV is passed when one of these fluids from a person living with HIV gets into the bloodstream of another person. This can happen through broken skin, the opening of the penis, or the wet linings of the body, including the vagina, rectum, and foreskin. HIV cannot be passed through healthy, unbroken skin. HIV also cannot be transmitted through sweat, saliva, or urine.

Anyone can get HIV, regardless of your age, gender, sexual orientation, race, or ethnic origin.

It can take years to show symptoms of a weakened immune system so getting tested is often the only way to know a person has HIV. Once a person has HIV, the earlier they are diagnosed, the sooner they can start HIV medicine known as antiretroviral treatment (ART). There is no cure for HIV, but with proper antiretroviral treatment and care, people living with HIV can live long and healthy lives.

Untreated, the virus makes copies of itself, reduces the number of CD4 cells in the body, and progressively weakens a person’s immune system, making them more likely to get other infections and infection-related cancers. If left untreated, HIV can lead to Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, known as AIDS. AIDS is a set of symptoms and illnesses that develops when a person’s immune system is too weak to fight off infections. This occurs when the HIV infection is very advanced and will lead to death if left untreated.