Know your STIs

What is it?

HIV is a viral STI that attacks the body’s immune system. After becoming infected, some people experience flu-like symptoms within 2-4 weeks, but most folks don’t feel sick early on (acute HIV infection). If not treated, HIV begins to attack the immune system and can cause advanced HIV (also known as AIDS), a disease that makes the body too weak to fight off other infections.

How does someone get it?

You can get HIV by having vaginal, oral, or anal sex with someone who has a detectable viral load of HIV. “Viral load” is another way of saying “the amount of virus in the blood”. Many HIV+ people on medication can get their viral load low enough that they can no longer transmit the virus to others. HIV can also be spread by sharing needles with someone who has HIV or through breast milk. Taking PreP (which stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis) medication can prevent someone from getting HIV.

How can it be treated?

HIV is managed with antiviral medication that people take over the course of their lives. With proper medication treatment, HIV+ people can live long, healthy lives. In fact, many HIV+ people can get to a point on medication where the virus is so under control it can’t even be detected in their blood and they can’t spread HIV to their partners.