Who what is hiv

Your sex partner has HIV. You have any of the symptoms listed above. Who to see Your family doctor or general practitioner can diagnose and may treat HIV. Complications of HIV may require treatment by the following doctors: Cardiologist Dermatologist Gastroenterologist Infectious disease specialist Nephrologist Oncologist Ophthalmologist Orthopedic surgeon Respirologist pulmonologist If you don't have a doctor Public health units and other organizations may provide free or low-cost, confidential testing and counselling about HIV and high-risk behaviour.

Women who are pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant. Anyone who has shared needles, syringes, spoons or other drug use equipment with someone who is HIV-positive or whose HIV status is unknown.

Victims of sexual assault. Men who have sex with other men. Anyone who has tested positive for another sexually transmitted or blood-borne infection, such as syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C. Fear of being tested Some people are afraid to be tested for HIV. This will give you an opportunity to: Discuss your fears about being tested. Learn how to reduce your risk of becoming infected if your test is negative. Learn how to keep from spreading HIV to others if your test is positive.

Think about personal issues, such as how having HIV will affect you socially, emotionally, professionally, and financially. Learn what you need to do to stay healthy as long as possible. Until you know the results of your test: Avoid sexual contact with others. If you do have sex, practice safer sex. Do not share needles, syringes, cookers, cotton, cocaine spoons, or eyedroppers. Testing positive for HIV If you test positive, your doctor will complete a medical history and physical examination.

He or she may order several lab tests to check your overall health, including: A complete blood count CBC , to identify the numbers and types of cells in your blood. A chemistry screen , to measure the blood levels of certain substances such as electrolytes and glucose and to see how well your liver and kidneys are working. You may be tested for: Syphilis. Hepatitis A , hepatitis B , and hepatitis C.

Tuberculosis TB. Viral load measures the amount of HIV in your blood. Testing for drug resistance HIV often changes or mutates in the body. You also may be tested for drug resistance when: You are ready to begin treatment. You've been having treatment and your viral load numbers stop going down. You've been having treatment and your viral load numbers become detectable after not being detectable. How is AIDS diagnosed?

Treatment Overview The most effective treatment for HIV is antiretroviral therapy ART , a combination of several medicines that aims to control the amount of virus in your body. Other steps you can take include the following: Keep your immune system strong by eating right, quitting smoking, and learning how to avoid infection. For more information, see Home Treatment. For more information, see Examinations and Tests.

See a counsellor to help you handle the strong emotions and stress that can follow an HIV diagnosis. For more information, see Other Treatment.

Reduce stress so that you can better manage the HIV illness. Starting treatment Medical experts recommend that people begin treatment for HIV as soon as they know that they are infected.

Learn more about HIV to actively share in health care decisions. Join a support groupto share information and emotions relating to HIV. Use condoms whenever you have sex. Learn how to handle food safely so you don't get a foodborne infection. If your partner has HIV: Provide emotional support.

Don't be afraid to discuss the disease. Often people with HIV need to talk. Protect yourself against HIV infection and other infections by not sharing needles or having unprotected sex. Protect your partner with HIV from other infections by staying away from him or her when you are sick. Treatment to prevent HIV infection Health care workers who are at risk for HIV because of an accidental needle stick or other exposure to body fluids may need medicine to prevent infection.

Prevention Safer sex Practice safer sex. Alcohol and drugs If you use alcohol or drugs, be very careful. If you already have HIV If you are infected with HIV, you can greatly lower the risk of spreading the infection to your sex partner by starting treatment when your immune system is still healthy. Steps to avoid spreading HIV If you are infected with HIV, you can greatly lower the risk of spreading the infection to your sex partner by starting treatment when your immune system is still healthy.

Take antiretroviral medicines. Tell your sex partner or partners about your behaviour and whether you are HIV-positive. Follow safer sex practices, such as using condoms. Do not donate blood, plasma, semen, body organs, or body tissues. Do not share personal items, such as toothbrushes, razors, or sex toys, that may be contaminated with blood, semen, or vaginal fluids. If you are pregnant The risk of a woman spreading HIV to her baby can be greatly reduced if she: Is on medicine that reduces the amount of virus in her blood to undetectable levels during pregnancy.

Continues treatment during pregnancy. Does not breastfeed her baby. Make healthy lifestyle choices Eat a healthy, balanced diet to keep your immune system strong. A heart-healthy diet can help prevent some of the problems, such as high cholesterol, that can be caused by treatment for HIV. Learn how to handle food properly to avoid getting a foodborne illness.

Exercise regularly to reduce stress and improve the quality of your life. Take steps to help prevent HIV-related fatigue. Don't smoke. People with HIV are more likely to have a heart attack or get lung cancer.

Don't use illegal drugs. And limit your use of alcohol. Join a support group Support groups are often good places to share information, problem-solving tips, and emotions related to HIV infection. Prevent other illnesses Get the immunizations and the medicine treatment you need to prevent certain infections or illnesses, such as some types of pneumonia or cancer that are more likely to develop in people who have a weakened immune system.

Tips for caregivers A skilled caregiver can provide the emotional, physical, and medical care that will improve the quality of life for a person who has HIV. If your partner has HIV: Provide emotional support , such as listening to and encouraging the person. Protect your partner with HIV from other infections by practicing good hygiene. Take care of yourself by sharing your frustrations with others and seeking help when you need it. Provide home care by learning how to give medicine and seek help in an emergency.

Medications Medicines used to treat HIV are called antiretrovirals. When choosing medicines, your doctor will think about: How well the medicines reduce viral load. How likely it is that the virus will become resistant to a certain type of medicine. Medicine side effects and your willingness to live with them. Other Treatment Counselling Counselling may help you to: Deal with strong emotions. Reduce anxiety and depression. Reducing stress Reducing stress can help you better manage the HIV illness.

Some methods of stress reduction include: Relaxation , which involves breathing and muscle relaxation exercises. Guided imagery , a series of thoughts and suggestions that help you relax. Biofeedback , which teaches you to relax through learning to control a body function that isn't normally under conscious control, such as heart rate or skin temperature. Problem solving , which focuses on any current problems in your life and helps you solve them. Acupuncture , which involves the insertion of very thin needles into the skin to stimulate energy flow throughout the body.

It may also help reduce the side effects of HIV medicines. Medical cannabis marijuana Cannabis has been shown to stimulate the appetite and relieve nausea. Alternative treatments Alternative and complementary treatments for HIV need to be carefully evaluated.

Related Information Sexually Transmitted Infections. References Citations U. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Preexposure prophylaxis for the prevention of HIV infection in the United States— update: A clinical practice guideline.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed July 28, CATIE Pre-exposure prophylaxis PrEP resources. Accessed October 26, Guidelines for the use of antiretroviral agents in HIVinfected adults and adolescents. Department of Health and Human Services. Accessed May 5, Thompson MA, et al. JAMA , 4 : — Schneider E, et al. After these symptoms disappear, HIV may not cause any symptoms for many years, although the virus continues to damage your immune system.

Some people are advised to have regular tests as they're at particularly high risk. Read more about who's most at risk of HIV. HIV is found in the body fluids of an infected person.

This includes semen, vaginal and anal fluids, blood and breast milk. The chance of getting HIV through oral sex is very low and will be dependent on many things, such as whether you receive or give oral sex and the oral hygiene of the person giving the oral sex. Seek medical advice as soon as possible if you think you might have been exposed to HIV.

You can get tested in a number of places, including at a GP surgery, sexual health clinics and clinics run by charities. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. About HIV. Minus Related Pages. HIV Basics. What is HIV? Info Sheet: HIV This info sheet provides basic information about HIV.

However, a diagnosis of AIDS is based on the following criteria:. HIV Overview. HIV is spread through contact with the blood, semen, pre-seminal fluid, rectal fluids, vaginal fluids, or breast milk of a person with HIV. In the United States, HIV is spread mainly by having anal or vaginal sex or sharing injection drug equipment, such as syringes or needles, with a person who has HIV. A CD4 count measures the number of CD4 cells in a sample of blood.

OR The presence of certain opportunistic infections.