HIV is Both Preventable & Treatable

Human immunodeficiency virus, also known as “HIV”, is a serious viral infection that attacks the body’s immune system. But it is preventable and treatable!

Human immunodeficiency virus, also known as “HIV”, is a serious viral infection that attacks the body’s immune system. Without treatment, HIV can lead to many health problems, such as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, also known as AIDS. HIV is most often passed from person to person through unprotected (condomless) sex, but also through sharing needles used to inject drugs, or from mother to child during birth or breastfeeding.

When someone first becomes infected with HIV, they often have flu-like symptoms like fever, achy muscles, sore throat, or a rash, which usually go away on their own within a few weeks. Other people may only have mild symptoms or may not even feel sick at all. In fact, 13 out of every 100 people living with HIV don’t know it. This is why getting tested for HIV every 3 months if you’re at risk for HIV is so important, not just for your personal health but also to help prevent the spread of HIV.

In addition to regular HIV testing, there are many things you can do to reduce your risk for HIV. If you (or your partner) have more than one sexual partner, condoms can significantly reduce your risk for HIV from sex and reduce your risk for other sexually transmitted infections. For people who do not use condoms, medicine known as HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis or “PrEP” is available. These medicines are almost 100% effective in preventing HIV infection through sex, but it’s important to know that these medicines don’t prevent other sexually transmitted infections. PrEP is available as a daily pill (Descovy^®, Truvada^®), an injection given every other month (Apretude^®), or an injection every six months (Yeztugo^®). PrEP is generally safe and very effective, but it’s important to talk to your medical provider about which medicine is right for you.

For people who inject drugs, not sharing needles or other equipment used to prepare or inject drugs and avoiding re-using supplies are some of the best ways to prevent HIV; however, PrEP can also provide additional protection. While more research is needed to know how well these medicines work in this population, available evidence suggests they are effective.

People who are already living with HIV also have an important role to play in preventing HIV infection. Starting treatment right away after being diagnosed with HIV is important to protecting your health and preventing new HIV infections. This is known as “treatment as prevention”. HIV medicines can cause the level of HIV in the blood to be so low that it is “undetectable”. Research shows that people who have undetectable levels of HIV do not pass the virus on to others. People living with HIV who are pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant can prevent passing HIV on to their baby by taking medication before and during pregnancy and avoiding breastfeeding unless closely monitored by a medical provider.

With so many tools available, HIV is no longer inevitable for people who are at risk. Start a conversation with your medical provider today about what options might be right for you!

By Ben Mahoney, APRN, a provider at the West Ridge Center, a clinic of Rutland Regional Medical Center.