HIV and AIDS are not the same thing. If an HIV infection (human immunodeficiency virus) is left untreated, it can become AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). If you don’t know if you were exposed to HIV through unprotected sex or injection drug use, it is crucial to get tested and start treatment as soon as possible. HIV is completely manageable with daily medication, and you will be able to live your life fully. HIV is a virus that attacks the body’s immune system and if left untreated, can develop into AIDS. There are three stages of HIV:

Stage 1: Acute HIV Infection

The most contagious stage where an individual has a large amount of HIV in their blood. Some will experience flu-like symptoms or none at all. HIV is diagnosed by antigen/antibody tests or nucleic acid tests (NATs).

Stage 2: Chronic HIV Infection

During an asymptomatic — or showing-no-symptoms — stage, HIV reproduces at very low levels and can be transmitted. At this time, CD4 cell counts go down and virus levels increase. Symptoms may begin and the body can move into Stage 3.

If HIV medicine is taken as prescribed, you may never move beyond Stage 2.

Stage 3: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS)

This is the final phase of HIV infection. Your immune system is severely compromised which leads to increased infections, illness, and cancer. Thanks to advancements in treatment, this stage has become far less common today than in the earlier days of the AIDS epidemic.

HIV doesn’t currently have a cure, but that won’t stop you from living a healthy, fulfilling life. With antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) and smart choices like using condoms during sex, you won’t transmit the disease to others. It’s still important to know your partner’s status and to disclose yours and to avoid injection drug use.

HIV is not limited to your gender, sexual preference, age, race, or ethnicity, so it’s important for all of us to take the necessary precautions to prevent  STIs and HIV.

HIV is transmitted through:

• Sexual intercourse.
• Contact through blood, vaginal fluids, or semen.
• Sharing needles of any kind.
• Mother to baby during pregnancy and birth.

FALSE. HIV does not survive long outside the human body and cannot reproduce outside the human body. This means it cannot be transmitted through saliva, tears, sweat, mosquitoes, or other insects. So hugging, shaking hands, or sharing toilets and dishes are not ways to transmit HIV.

FALSE. Being HIV positive is not the same as having AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome); however if left untreated HIV can become AIDS. In the simplest terms, HIV is a virus, AIDS is a disease.

FALSE.  HIV can affect anyone who is sexually active. HIV can be contracted through unprotected anal or vaginal sex and sharing needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment. Over 19% of people living with HIV contracted the virus through heterosexual intercourse.

FALSE.  The risk of transmitting HIV to your baby can be 1% or less as long as you’re taking all your prescribed medications throughout the pregnancy, labor, and delivery AND if you give your baby the prescribed HIV medication for 4-6 weeks after birth. A doctor will prescribe everything you need as well as keep up with your progress through checkups.

FALSE.  Thanks to preventative medication known as antiretroviral therapy (ART) — which consists of a medication regime prescribed by doctors — and accessible resources, you can live a healthy and normal life with HIV. It’s all about knowing your status (the earlier the better), seeking treatment, and taking the medication prescribed to you so it can suppress the virus.