HIV is just three letters – it’s not a sentence
Sometimes people with HIV are described as having AIDS, this is not correct. You can live a long and healthy life with HIV without ever developing AIDS. But only if you know your status.
Sometimes people with HIV are described as having AIDS, this is not correct. You can live a long and healthy life with HIV without ever developing AIDS. But only if you know your status.
HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. ‘Immunodeficiency’ refers to the weakening of the immune system by the virus. HIV has been passed on between humans for many decades but was only identified in the early 80s.
AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. It is a collection of illnesses (‘syndrome’) caused by a virus people pick up (‘acquire’) that makes their immune system weak (‘immune deficiency’). You can’t get an AIDS diagnosis unless you’re already HIV positive.
HIV is not passed on easily from one person to another. The virus does not spread through the air like cold and flu viruses.
The main ways the virus enters the bloodstream are:
Other body fluids, like saliva, sweat or urine, DO NOT contain enough of the virus to infect another person. HIV is not passed on through:
NOTE: HIV can’t survive for very long once it's outside the human body.
If you had unprotected sex and the other person didn’t know their HIV status, you now don’t know yours. But, taking ownership and fixing this situation is completely possible and the power to make that decision is in your hands.
But power is knowledge and you are always better off knowing your status, especially as HIV is treatable.
The only way to find out if you have HIV is to have an HIV test. If you think you have put yourself at risk of HIV, you should seek medical advice and have a test as soon as recommended. The earlier HIV is diagnosed, the earlier you can start treatment and avoid becoming ill.
If left untreated, infection with HIV progresses through a series of stages: from flu-like seroconversion illness, through infections associated with the symptomatic stage, leading to late-stage HIV or AIDS.
Undetectable = Untransmittable. Studies have shown that a person who's on effective treatment who has an undetectable viral load can't pass on HIV.
Anyone who has sex without a condom or shares needles is at risk of HIV infection. The best way to prevent HIV is to:
Knowing your HIV status and that of your partner is also important.
Taking PrEP, a daily medication to help prevent HIV infection, may be a good fit for you if your status is negative and you think that you are at risk for HIV. To find out more about whether PrEP is right for you, visit the nearest clinics and hospitals that provide PrEP & PEP at www.mypreplocator.com untuk senarai klinik dan hospital yang menyediakan PrEP dan PEP yang boleh anda lawati.
Click Here to learn more about PrEPIf you are tested positive for HIV, treatments are now very effective, enabling people with HIV to live long and healthy lives. Medication, known as antiretrovirals or HAART, work by:
These medicines come in the form of tablets, which need to be taken every day. HIV-1 medication is available for no cost at any government clinics and hospitals in Malaysia.
