Is HIV the same thing as AIDS? Do all people with AIDS die from it?

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a viral infection. When a person has an advanced stage of an HIV infection that has weakened their immune system, they are diagnosed with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Not all people with HIV develop AIDS. People living with HIV today can receive treatments that help them live longer, healthier lives. Without treatment, most people with HIV over time get a weakened immune system that makes them more susceptible to infections and diseases that people with healthy immune systems typically don’t get. It is these infections that can lead to death, but with proper treatment, a person’s immune system can remain strong. This is why it is so important for people to get tested and start treatment if they have HIV.

There are a few ways to reduce the risk of transmitting HIV to someone who is not infected. Condoms, when used correctly and consistently during sex, are highly effective at preventing the spread of the virus. Having an undetectable amount of the virus in the body is also very important because people with undetectable viral loads cannot pass HIV on to a partner who is not infected. People who do not have HIV can also take a daily medication called PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) to lower their risk of getting the virus. And people who do not have HIV can take a medication called post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) within three days of a possible exposure to HIV.

People with HIV can use medications to strengthen their immune system and decrease the amount of the virus in the body or what is called their “viral load.” HIV medication can make the viral load so low that a test cannot detect it. Here are some of the ways that people living with HIV can ensure their viral load is undetectable:

• Talk to a health care provider about their treatment plan and how to follow it.
• Take their medication daily as prescribed. (When people don’t take their medication, it can increase their viral load and the risk of HIV transmission.)
• See their health care provider regularly to get their viral load checked. (Testing regularly is the only way to know if you have an undetectable viral load.)

Without treatment, HIV weakens the immune system, allowing specific infections and diseases to occur. At this point, the person is diagnosed with AIDS. People with an AIDS diagnosis still have HIV in their bodies, and if they have unprotected sex or share needles, they can transmit the virus to someone else—before and after an AIDS diagnosis.

For more information, check out the following sites:

• The CDC’s HIV Basics
• AIDS.gov
• The Body

Want to get tested for HIV? Find a clinic near you. Also check out the Sex, Etc. stories “Does HIV Look Like Me?” and “I Have HIV…but HIV Does Not Have Me.” You might also want to read “Love & HIV: A Relationship That Works!”