HIV is a virus that attacks cells in the body called CD4 or T-cells that help fight illnesses. This makes a person more likely to get other infections and diseases. HIV is spread by coming into direct contact with certain body fluids of a person with HIV who has a detectable viral load (over 200 copies of HIV per milliliter of blood). These fluids are:
In the United States HIV is most commonly spread during unprotected sex (sex without a condom or HIV medicine to prevent or treat HIV), or through sharing injection drug equipment.
There is no cure for HIV, but you can control it with medicine. HIV treatment medicine called antiretroviral therapy (ART), can lower the amount of HIV in the blood to suppressed (less than 200 copies of HIV per milliliter of blood) and even undetectable (less than 20 copies per milliliter) levels. People with HIV who get and keep an undetectable viral load can live long healthy lives and will not transmit HIV to their sexual partners. This is called undetectable=untransmittable (U=U).
When left untreated, HIV can lead to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).
For more information about HIV prevention and treatment, click here.
