Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) kills or damages the body's immune system. By damaging your immune system, HIV interferes with your body's ability to fight the organisms that cause disease. As the immune system weakens, the body is at risk of getting life-threatening infections and cancers. Once a person has the virus, it stays inside the body for life.

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic, potentially life-threatening condition caused by HIV.

HIV is often transmitted through sexual contact or through contact with an infected person’s blood. It can also be spread from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breast-feeding.

The first signs of HIV infection may be swollen glands and flu-like symptoms. These may come and go a month or 2 after infection. Severe symptoms may not appear until months or years later. HIV will eventually progress and weakens your immune system to the point that you have AIDS.

There is no cure for HIV/AIDS, but there are medications that can dramatically slow the progression of the disease and people with HIV can live longer, healthier lives than in the past.

HIV is spread (transmitted) person-to-person in any of the following ways:

• Through sexual contact -- including oral, vaginal, and anal sex
• Through blood -- by blood transfusions (now extremely rare in the U.S.) or more often by needle sharing during illicit drug use
• From mother to child -- a pregnant woman can spread the virus to her fetus through their shared blood circulation, or a nursing mother can pass it to her baby through her breast milk

HIV cannot survive for very long outside of the body. It cannot be transmitted through routine daily activities such as using a toilet seat, sharing food utensils or drinking glasses, shaking hands, or through kissing. The virus can only be transmitted from person to person, not through animals or insect bites

People at high risk of getting HIV include:

• Drug users who inject and then share needles
• Infants born to mothers with HIV who did not receive HIV treatment during pregnancy
• People who have unprotected sex, especially with people who have other high-risk behaviors, are HIV-positive, or have AIDS
• People who received blood transfusions or clotting products between 1977 and 1985, before screening for the virus became standard practice
• Sexual partners of those who engage in high-risk activities (such as injection drug use or anal sex)

After HIV infects the body, the virus has been found in many different fluids and tissues in the body. Only blood, semen, fluids from the vagina, and breast milk have been shown to transmit infection to others.

The virus may also be found in saliva, tears, nervous system tissue, and spinal fluid.

People infected with HIV who are receiving therapy can still infect others through unprotected sex and needle-sharing.

Anyone of any age, race, sex, or sexual orientation can be infected, but you are at greatest risk of contracting HIV/AIDS if you:

• Have unprotected sex. Unprotected sex means having sex without using a new latex or polyurethane condom every time. Anal sex is more risky than is vaginal sex. The risk increases if you have multiple sexual partners.
• Have another STI. Many sexually transmitted infections (STIs) produce open sores on your genitals. These sores allow HIV to easily enter your body.
• Use intravenous drugs. People who use intravenous drugs often share needles and syringes. This exposes them to droplets of other people's blood.
• Are an uncircumcised man. Studies indicate that lack of circumcision increases the risk of heterosexual transmission of HIV.

Get tested if you may have been exposed, and start care early if you test positive, since modern treatment keeps people healthy. Seek emergency care within 72 hours of a possible exposure to ask about preventive medication (PEP).