HIV

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system (which help fight infections). If left untreated, HIV can lead to AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome), a condition in which the immune system is severely weakened.

What Is HIV?

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system (which help fight infections). If left untreated, HIV can lead to AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome), a condition in which the immune system is severely weakened.

With antiretroviral therapy (ART), a combination of daily medicines, HIV can be controlled effectively. People with HIV on treatment can live full lives and even become undetectable, meaning when the virus can’t be transmitted to others through sexual contact.

How Is HIV Transmitted?

HIV spreads through contact with infected bodily fluids, but not all contact is risky. It’s important to understand how HIV is and is not transmitted to prevent both infection and unnecessary fear.

HIV can be transmitted through:

  • Unprotected sex (vaginal, anal, or oral) with someone who has HIV and is not on treatment
  • Sharing needles or syringes
  • Parent-to-child transmission during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding
  • Transfusions of untested blood or blood products (rare where blood is screened)
  • Accidental exposure in healthcare settings (e.g., needle-stick injuries)
HIV is not transmitted by
  • Hugging, shaking hands, or sharing utensils
  • Coughing or sneezing
  • Sharing toilets or living in the same house
  • Mosquito bites

Understanding this helps reduce unnecessary fear and stigma.

HIV Testing and Early Detection

Depending on where you live, you might be able to afford a HIV self-test or home test kit. Before testing yourself, make sure to read everything about HIV and make an informed decision. If you test positive, contact your healthcare provider immediately. Sometimes, there are combo kits available that can test for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, HIV, and other STDs using a single device. You can check those out for more comprehensive testing.

Detailed testing is done through a simple blood or saliva test. HIV can remain hidden without symptoms for years, so many people may be unaware of their status.

Types of HIV Testing
  • Rapid tests: Give results in 15–30 minutes
  • ELISA/Antibody tests: Detect HIV antibodies
  • Nucleic Acid Tests (NAT): Detect HIV RNA (early infection)

Testing is confidential, safe, and often free in many public health programs.

Pre-Marital and Prenatal HIV Testing

In communities where HIV is present or where couples want to make informed reproductive decisions, pre-marital HIV testing is a key preventive step. This is especially important when:

  • One or both partners have had previous partners
  • Either partner received blood transfusions or injections in unsafe settings
  • The couple lives in or travels to areas with high HIV prevalence

If both partners test negative, regular testing helps keep them safe. If one partner is positive, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Treatment as Prevention (TasP) can help prevent transmission.

Pregnant women should be routinely tested for HIV during early pregnancy. If HIV is detected, starting treatment immediately can dramatically reduce the risk of transmitting the virus to the baby from 30–45% without treatment to less than 1% with proper care.

Reproductive Choices for Couples with HIV

Thanks to modern medicine, people living with HIV can safely plan families.

  • ART lowers the viral load to undetectable levels, preventing sexual transmission
  • Sperm washing and IVF are available options for couples with one partner being HIV positive.
  • Pregnant women on HIV treatment and regular monitoring can deliver healthy, HIV-free babies
  • Breastfeeding is sometimes possible under clinical guidance, though replacement feeding may be advised in high-resource settings

Every couple should consult healthcare professionals to explore the safest path based on their context.

Treatment: Living Well with HIV

HIV is managed using antiretroviral therapy (ART)—a combination of medications taken daily for life.

ART
  • Slows the progression of the virus
  • Allows the immune system to recover and grow stronger
  • Reduces risk of transmission to others
  • Enables people to work, study, marry, and live normal lives

When taken correctly, ART makes the virus undetectable (as long as you continue the medication), meaning the person cannot transmit HIV sexually (known as U=U: Undetectable = Untransmittable).

No one chooses to get HIV—but everyone deserves compassion, access to care, and the right to a full life.

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