HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus that damages the cells in your immune system and weakens its ability to fight everyday infections and diseases. HIV can be passed on through body fluids such as:
- blood
- semen
- rectal and vaginal fluids
- breast milk.
To find out if you have HIV you need to have an HIV blood test.
Without treatment, people can get very sick. HIV may not cause health issues for a few years, so it is important to get tested, even if you do not have any symptoms. There is no cure but excellent treatment is available. With treatment, people can stay well and live as long as someone without HIV. It is best to start treatment as soon as possible.
When a person with HIV is on effective treatment the virus becomes undetectable in their blood. Once someone is stable on treatment, with undetectable virus for at least 6 months, there is zero risk of sexual transmission. This is known as U=U (undetectable = untransmittable).
HIV and AIDS