What is HIV?
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system, specifically the CD4 cells (T cells) that help fight off infections. An estimated 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV, with approximately 31,800 new infections occurring among Americans in 2022. Unlike some other viruses, the body cannot get rid of HIV completely — once you have HIV, you have it for life.
Without treatment, HIV can lead to AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome), the most advanced stage of HIV infection. AIDS occurs when the immune system is severely damaged, making the body vulnerable to opportunistic infections and certain cancers.
However, with effective treatment, progression to AIDS is preventable. People living with HIV who maintain an undetectable viral load cannot transmit HIV to sexual partners. This is known as U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable) and is supported by extensive scientific evidence and global medical consensus.
With proper medical care, people with HIV can live long, healthy lives, have relationships, and build families.
Symptoms & Causes
Many people with HIV experience flu-like symptoms within 2 to 4 weeks after infection, known as acute HIV infection. Symptoms can include:
- Fever
- Chills
- Rash
- Night sweats
- Muscle aches
- Sore throat
- Fatigue
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Mouth ulcers
Many people experience mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. After the acute stage, HIV moves into a chronic (clinical latency) stage during which the virus remains active at low levels and symptoms may be minimal or absent.
Without treatment, this stage can last a decade or longer before potentially progressing to AIDS. With effective treatment, progression to AIDS is preventable.
How do you get HIV?
HIV is transmitted through specific body fluids when a person with HIV is not virally suppressed. These fluids include:
- Blood
- Semen and pre-seminal fluid
- Rectal fluids
- Vaginal fluids
- Breast milk
The most common ways HIV is transmitted include:
- Sexual contact: Having vaginal or anal sex with someone who has HIV and is not undetectable, without prevention strategies like condoms or PrEP
- Sharing needles: Sharing needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment with someone who has HIV
- Mother to child: Transmission during pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding when effective treatment is not in place
HIV is not transmitted through saliva, sweat, tears, casual contact like hugging, sharing food, or mosquito bites. People living with HIV who are undetectable do not transmit HIV through sex.
Testing & Treatment
Testing for HIV
HIV testing is the only way to know if you have HIV. There are three types of tests:
- Antibody tests: Look for antibodies to HIV in blood or oral fluid. Most rapid tests and home tests are antibody tests.
- Antigen/antibody tests: Look for both HIV antibodies and antigens. These can detect HIV sooner than antibody-only tests.
- Nucleic acid tests (NATs): Look for the actual virus in the blood. These are the most expensive but can detect HIV the earliest.
The time between when a person gets HIV and when a test can accurately detect it is called the window period. For most tests, this period ranges from 10 days to 3 months.
Treatment for HIV
While there is no cure for HIV, antiretroviral therapy (ART) can control the virus and help prevent transmission to others. People who take HIV medicine as prescribed can get an undetectable viral load — meaning the amount of HIV in their blood is so low that it cannot be detected by a standard test.
Having an undetectable viral load means you cannot transmit HIV to a partner through sex. This is also known as U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable).
Starting treatment as soon as possible after diagnosis and staying engaged in care supports long-term health and prevents transmission.
Preventing HIV
You can reduce your risk of getting HIV by:
- Treatment as Prevention (TasP / U=U): People with HIV who take antiretroviral therapy as prescribed, and maintain an undetectable viral load, cannot transmit HIV through sex.
- PrEP: Pre-exposure prophylaxis is a periodic or long-acting medication taken by HIV-negative people to prevent infection.
- PEP: Post-exposure prophylaxis is emergency medication that must be started within 72 hours after possible exposure.
- Using condoms: Correct and consistent condom use reduces HIV risk, especially when PrEP or viral suppression is not in place.
- Not sharing needles: Never share needles, syringes, or other injection equipment.
- Getting tested: Knowing your own status and that of your partner enables timely treatment.
HIV and the law
Laws related to HIV disclosure vary by country and region. Some places have legal requirements related to disclosure in specific circumstances. Because laws change, checking with your local health department or a trusted health agency is the best way to understand what applies where you live.
Telling your partner
If you have HIV, you should tell your current partners and anyone else that you’ve had sex with in the last 6 months. They can have HIV without knowing it, so they should get tested as well.
TellYourPartner.com helps you send an anonymous HIV text, so you can let partners know they’ve had contact with an infection without revealing your name.