April 22, 2021 | With so much attention focused on COVID-19 over the past year, the impact of another virus on our nation may have gone unnoticed by some. Despite the progress made in preventing and treating it, HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, remains a persistent problem in the United States. An estimated 1.2 million people in the U.S. had HIV at the end of 2018, according to the most recent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics. Of the 37,968 new cases of HIV diagnosed in the U.S. in 2018, 69 percent were among gay or bisexual men, 24 percent were among heterosexual men or women and seven percent were among intravenous drug users. More than 15,000 Americans who were diagnosed with HIV died in 2018. It’s important to recognize that even if you don’t develop AIDS, or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, the final stage of infection with HIV, the virus still poses a risk for serious infections and certain cancers.

April 22, 2021 | HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, can affect anyone regardless of sexual orientation, race, ethnicity, gender, age, or where they live. However, certain groups of people in the United States are more likely to get HIV than others because of particular factors, including the communities in which they live, what subpopulations they belong to, and their risk behaviors. HIV can be transmitted during sexual intercourse, by sharing syringes or during pregnancy, childbirth or breastfeeding. The latest estimates from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that effective HIV prevention and treatment are not adequately reaching those who could most benefit from them and certain groups, such as men who have sex with men, transgender persons, African Americans, and Hispanics continue to be disproportionately affected. Additionally, the highest rates of new HIV infection continue to occur in the Southern part of the country.

April 22, 2021 | HIV cannot be transferred through the water or air. It cannot be spread by mosquitoes or other insects, by saliva or sweat, by shaking hands or the use of public toilets and drinking fountains. It can’t be passed through healthy, unbroken skin or through any sexual activities that don’t involve the exchange of bodily fluids. The risk of receiving a blood transfusion or an organ or tissue transplant that is contaminated with HIV is extremely low due to the rigorous testing of the United States’ blood supply and donated organs and tissues. It’s important to note that you can’t “catch” AIDS, or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV infection. If you have HIV and you are not on HIV treatment, eventually your body’s immune system will weaken and you will progress to AIDS. People with AIDS have such badly damaged immune systems that they get a number of severe illnesses, which are called opportunistic infections.

April 22, 2021 | Not everyone will have the same symptoms of HIV. It depends on the person and what stage of the disease they are in. Within two to four weeks after being infected, about two-thirds of people will have a flu-like illness. This is the body’s natural response to HIV infection. The symptoms can range from a fever, chills and night sweats to swollen lymph nodes and mouth ulcers. Don’t assume that you have HIV just because you have any of these symptoms, they can be similar to those caused by many other illnesses. But if you think you may have been exposed to HIV, get tested immediately. Most HIV tests detect antibodies, proteins that your body makes as a reaction to HIV, not the virus itself. But it can take a few weeks after you’re infected for your body to produce them. There are other types of tests that can detect HIV infection sooner. Tell your doctor or clinic if you think you were recently exposed to the virus, and ask if their tests can detect early infection.

April 22, 2021 | More than a million people in the United States are currently living with HIV, so you may know someone who has the virus. Somebody who has been recently diagnosed with HIV may find it difficult to take that first step toward treatment. Your support and assistance could be very helpful. By getting linked to HIV medical care early, starting treatment with HIV medication, called antiretroviral therapy or ART, adhering to medication, and staying in care, people with HIV can keep the virus under control and prevent their HIV infection from progressing to AIDS. HIV treatment is recommended for all people with HIV and should be started as soon as possible after diagnosis. Encourage your friend or loved one to see a doctor and start HIV treatment as soon as possible. If they do not have an HIV care provider, you can help them find one. There are programs that can provide HIV medical care or help those in need with paying for HIV medications.