Healthy Living
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HIV (AIDS)

HIV (AIDS)

HIV is a virus that attacks your body’s immune system. This virus can make it difficult for you to fight off other illnesses and diseases. AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV. However, not everyone who has HIV will get AIDS.

Knowing more about HIV and how it’s transmitted can help you take the right steps to reduce your risk for this virus and stay healthy.

What Are HIV and AIDS?

HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus, and AIDS stands for acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

HIV destroys CD4 cells, which are a type of T cell, or immune system cell. This damages and weakens your immune system, which increases your risk for a wide range of illnesses and conditions, including cancer.

AIDS is the third and most advanced stage of HIV. People with AIDS have severely impaired immune systems and typically only survive for three years without treatment.

Symptoms of HIV

HIV produces symptoms that are highly similar to the flu. Symptoms usually develop within two to four weeks after you become infected and can be mild to severe. They may come and go and last up to several weeks.

Symptoms of HIV include:

  • Fever and chills
  • General aches and pains
  • Swollen lymph nodes
  • Headache
  • Sore throat
  • Fatigue
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Upset stomach
  • Weight loss
  • Skin rash
  • Night sweats
  • Mouth ulcers

The only way to know if you have HIV is to get tested. Getting tested and knowing your HIV status can prevent you from spreading it to others and allowing it to progress to AIDS.

Symptoms of AIDS

HIV usually only progresses to AIDS if it goes untreated for a long period, such as several years. In most instances, AIDS can be prevented if HIV is detected and treated early on.

Symptoms of AIDS include:

  • Recurring fever
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Chronically swollen lymph nodes
  • Night sweats
  • Severe, chronic diarrhea
  • Rapid weight loss
  • Sores or lesions on the mouth, tongue, genitals, and/or anus
  • Rashes or lesions on the skin
  • Dark splotches under the skin or on the eyelids, nose, and/or mouth
  • Confusion
  • Memory loss and difficulty concentrating
  • Depression and/or anxiety

How HIV Is Transmitted

HIV can be transmitted by coming into contact with the body fluids of someone infected. It can spread through blood, semen, vaginal fluids, rectal fluids, and breast milk.

Here are some of the ways HIV can be transmitted from one person to another:

  • Vaginal or anal sex
  • Breastfeeding
  • Needle-sharing, such as when using injection drugs like heroin or methamphetamine
  • Exposure to unsterilized needles, such as in a healthcare setting or tattoo shop
  • Exposure to blood or other fluids from an infected person
  • Pregnancy, labor, and/or delivery
  • Premastication (chewing food, then feeding it to a baby)
  • Blood transfusion
  • Organ or tissue transplant

Treatments for HIV and AIDS

At present, there is no cure for HIV and AIDS. However, many treatments can help control your symptoms and reduce your risk for complications. Treatments for HIV are known as antiretroviral therapy (ART). ART should be given to everyone who is diagnosed with HIV, regardless of the severity or stage of their condition.

The medications used in ART can protect CD4 cells and prevent HIV from reproducing. ART can help your immune system maintain the strength it needs to stop HIV from progressing to AIDS.

Drugs that may be included in ART for HIV include:

  • Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), which turn off, or disable, a protein needed by HIV to replicate
  • Nucleoside or nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), which interfere with your RNA in ways that prevent HIV from replicating
  • Protease inhibitors (PIs), which disable HIV proteins that allow the virus to replicate
  • Integrase inhibitors, which disable the activity of a protein called integrase that allows HIV to infiltrate your CD4 cells
  • Entry or fusion inhibitors, which prevent HIV from infiltrating CD4 cells

Currently, the FDA has approved more than 30 medications for the treatment of HIV. Your healthcare provider can work with you to choose one or a combination of HIV treatments based on your unique, personal health needs.

Tips for Preventing HIV and AIDS

There is no vaccine available to prevent HIV or AIDS. However, you can take steps to reduce your risk.

Ways to reduce your risk for HIV and AIDS include:

  • Practicing safer sex—wearing condoms can help prevent the transmission of HIV during sexual activity
  • Not sharing needles with others
  • Receiving post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)—PEP involves a regimen of three antiretroviral medications that are given for 28 days after exposure to HIV and can reduce your risk
  • Receiving pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)—PrEP can reduce your risk of getting HIV when taken consistently

Make an appointment with your healthcare provider if you have symptoms of HIV or think you may have been exposed to this virus. Your provider can run the necessary tests to properly diagnose your condition and discuss all your available treatment options.