HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks cells that help the body fight infection, making a person more vulnerable to other infections and diseases.
It is spread by contact with certain bodily fluids of a person with HIV, most commonly during unprotected sex (sex without a condom or HIV medicine to prevent or treat HIV), or through sharing injection drug equipment
If left untreated, HIV can lead to the disease AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). The human body can’t get rid of HIV, and no effective HIV cure exists. So, once you have HIV, you have it for life.
However, by taking HIV medicine (called antiretroviral therapy or ART, people with HIV can live long and healthy lives and prevent transmitting HIV to their sexual partners.
AIDS is the late stage of HIV infection that occurs when the body’s immune system is badly damaged because of the virus. Without HIV medicine, people with AIDS typically survive about 3 years. Once someone has a dangerous opportunistic illness, life expectancy without treatment falls to about 1 year. HIV medicine can still help people at this stage of HIV infection, and it can even be lifesaving.
Signs and Symptoms of HIV/AIDS include:
- Fever
- Headache
- Muscle aches and joint pain
- Rash
- Sore throat and painful mouth sores
- Swollen lymph glands, mainly on the neck
- Diarrhea
- Weight loss
- Cough
- Night sweats
You can’t become infected with HIV through ordinary contact. That means you can’t catch HIV or AIDS by hugging, kissing, dancing, or shaking hands with someone who has the infection.
HIV can be suppressed by combination of antiretroviral drugs. Antiretroviral drugs do not cure HIV infection but suppress viral replication within a person’s body and allow the individual’s immune system to strengthen and regain the capacity to fight off infections.