HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a virus that attacks the bodies immune system cells, that help the body fight infection, making a person more vulnerable to other infections and diseases.

If left untreated, HIV can lead to the disease AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).The human body can’t get rid of HIV and no effective HIV cure exists. So, once you have HIV, you have it for life.

However, by taking HIV medicine (called antiretroviral therapy or ART), people with HIV can live long and healthy lives and prevent transmitting HIV to their sexual partners. In addition, there are effective methods to prevent getting HIV through sex or drug use, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP).

AIDS is the late stage of HIV infection that occurs when the body’s immune system is badly damaged because of the virus.

A person with HIV is considered to have progressed to AIDS when:

• the number of their CD4 cells falls below 200 cells per cubic millimeter of blood (200 cells/mm3).

• they develop one or more opportunistic infections regardless of their CD4 count.

Without HIV medicine, people with AIDS typically will not survive. HIV medicine can still help people at this stage of HIV infection, and it can even be lifesaving. But people who start ART soon after they get HIV experience more benefits—that’s why HIV testing is so important.