HIV

HIV stands for “Human Immunodeficiency Virus.”

If untreated, it can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)

How It’s Transmitted

Most people who get HIV get it through anal or vaginal sex, or sharing needles, syringes, or other drug injection equipment.

Only certain body fluids can transmit HIV. These fluids must come in contact with a mucous membrane or damaged tissue, or be directly injected into the bloodstream (from a needle or syringe) for transmission to occur.

Factors like a person’s viral load, other sexually transmitted infections, and alcohol or drug use can increase the chances of getting or transmitting HIV. But there are powerful tools, like PrEP, that can help prevent HIV transmission.

Symptoms

The most common symptoms—fever, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, rash, muscle aches, night sweats, mouth ulcers, chills and fatigue—show up within 2 to 4 weeks after infection. Symptoms may last for a few days or several weeks.

Treatment

Once you get HIV, you have it for life. 

HIV treatment (antiretroviral therapy or ART) involves taking medicine as prescribed by a health care provider. You should start HIV treatment as soon as possible after diagnosis.

HIV treatment reduces the amount of HIV in the blood (viral load) and can make the viral load so low that a test can’t detect it (undetectable viral load). When people living with HIV are treated with antiretroviral therapy (ART) as prescribed, the amount of HIV in their blood can become undetectable. Learn more at Undectable = Untransmittable. 

If you have an undetectable viral load, you will not transmit HIV to others through sex. Having an undetectable viral load also reduces the risk of HIV transmission through sharing drug injection equipment, and during pregnancy, labor, and delivery.

HIV-negative people who are at risk of getting HIV through sex or injection drug use can talk to their provider about prescribing PrEP, a daily prescription pill that reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by more than 90%. (Find out more about accessing PrEP in Wyoming here.)

For more information about HIV, visit the CDC website.