What is HIV?
HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS.
Your immune system is your body's defense system. While many viruses can be controlled by the immune system, HIV targets and infects the same immune system cells that are supposed to protect us from illnesses. These are a type of white blood cell called CD4 cells (sometimes called T-cells).
HIV takes over CD4 cells and turns them into factories that produce thousands of copies of the virus. As the virus makes copies, it damages or kills the CD4 cells, weakening the immune system.
What is AIDS?
AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV infection.
HIV causes AIDS by attacking CD4 cells, which the immune system uses to protect the body from disease. When the immune system loses too many CD4 cells, you are less able to fight off infection and can develop serious, often deadly, infections. These are called opportunistic infections (OIs).
When someone dies of AIDS, it is usually OIs or other long-term effects of HIV that cause death. AIDS refers to the weakened state of the body’s immune system that can no longer stop OIs from developing and becoming so deadly.
What is the Difference Between HIV and AIDS?
You don't have AIDS as soon as you are infected with HIV. You can be HIV+ for many years with no signs of disease, or only mild-to-moderate symptoms. But without treatment, HIV will eventually wear down the immune system in most people to the point that they have low numbers of CD4 cells and develop more serious OIs.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identifies someone as having AIDS if he or she is HIV+ and has one or both of these conditions:
At least one AIDS-defining opportunistic infection (see list of OIs in our info sheet called AIDS Defining Conditions)
A CD4 cell count of 200 cells or less (a normal CD4 count is about 600 to 1,500)
How Do I Know if I Have HIV?
Most people cannot tell that they have been exposed or infected. Symptoms of HIV infection may show up within two to four weeks of exposure to HIV, and can include fever, swollen glands, muscle aches, or rash. Some people do not notice the symptoms because the symptoms are mild, or people think they have a cold or the flu. The only way to know for sure if you are infected is to take an HIV test.
Do I Need to Get Tested for HIV?
The CDC estimates that about 21% of HIV+ people do not know their HIV status. Many of these people look and feel healthy and do not think they are at risk. But the truth is that anyone of any age, gender, race, sexual orientation, or social or economic class can become infected. It is your actions (or the actions taken against you), that put you at risk.
Answer the following questions:
Have you ever had vaginal, anal, or oral sex without a condom?
Have you ever shared needles or syringes to inject drugs (including steroids or hormones)?
Are you uncertain of your partner’s status or is your partner HIV+?
Are you pregnant or considering becoming pregnant?
Have you ever had a sexually transmitted disease (STD)?
Do you have hepatitis C (HCV)?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you should definitely get an HIV test.
Why Should I Get Tested?
If you test HIV+ there are effective medications to help you stay well. But you cannot get the health care and treatment you need if you do not know your HIV status. Being unaware of your status also means that you could pass HIV to others without knowing it.
For women who plan to become pregnant, testing is especially important. If a woman is infected with HIV, medical care and certain drugs given during pregnancy can lower the chance of passing HIV to her baby.
If you test HIV-negative you can take steps to stay that way. You can also avoid unnecessary worrying.
What Tests are Available?
If you have been infected, your immune system will make antibodies against HIV. The most common HIV tests look for these antibodies. The HIV antibody test (called ELISA or EIA) is one of the most reliable medical tests. It can be done on blood, mouth swab, or urine.
Before a positive antibody test result is reported, it is confirmed by another test called a Western Blot. According to the CDC, the combined accuracy of the antibody test plus the Western Blot is greater than 99 percent.
Some antibody tests take a few days for results, but rapid tests are also available that can give results in about 20 minutes. All positive rapid tests must be followed by the Western Blot to confirm the results. Results of this confirmatory test can take a few days to a few weeks.
A negative antibody test result means your body has not developed antibodies and you are probably not infected. To get truly accurate results, it's necessary to wait three to six months after your last possible exposure to the virus before being tested. That is because the immune system can take anywhere from two to eight weeks to make antibodies. If you are tested in this "window period," you may get an unclear result or a false negative.
There is another type of test called the RNA test, which detects the virus directly. The RNA test can give results very early in HIV infection, but is more costly and used less often than antibody tests.
Where Can I Get Tested?
You can get tested at your health care provider’s office, a clinic, the local health department facilities, or at a hospital.
It is a good idea to get tested at a place that provides counseling. Counselors can answer questions about high-risk behavior and suggest ways you can protect yourself and others in the future. People who test HIV+ can receive support and referrals to health care and other services. The counselor can help you through the whole testing process – from start to finish.
Is There a Vaccine to Prevent HIV Infection?
There is currently no vaccine available. The best way to prevent HIV is to use sterile needles and practice safer sex .
Information provided on this blog is for educational purposes only. It is designed to support, not replace, personal medical care and should never be used as a substitute for personal medical attention, diagnosis, or hands-on treatment. I recommend all medical decisions be made in consultation with your personal health care provider.
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