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This section is meant to provide some general knowledge regarding HIV and AIDS. For more detailed information, including numbers for CDC (Centers for DiseaseControl) and HIV/AIDS hotlines, Click Here
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What is HIV?
HIV is short for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV attacks the body's immune system, making it hard to fight off infections. HIV particularly attacks CD4 cells. The lower a person's CD4 count, the weaker their immune system will be. |
What is AIDS?
AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. When a person's immune system has been damaged he or she is open to other illnesses, especially infections (e.g. tuberculosis and pneumonia) and cancers, many of which would not normally be a threat. When someone gets one of these illnesses the person is often said to have AIDS.However, it is not a term used as widely anymore. Doctors may instead call this 'late stage' or 'advanced HIV infection'. |
How does the HIV test work?
The most commonly used test is an HIV antibody test. Antibodies are produced by the body in response to the presence of HIV, and this test looks for those antibodies. |
What is the window period?
When someone becomes infected with HIV, it can take up to three months for their immune system to produce enough antibodies to show up on an HIV test (although in a few cases it can take up to six months) - this gap is known as the window period. Because the HIV test looks for antibodies, taking an HIV test less than three months after possibly getting infected might not give an accurate result. However, throughout the window period , the infected person has enough virus in the blood, breast milk or sexual fluids to infect another person even though it wont show on a test. |
Can you treat HIV?
There is no vaccine or cure for HIV. However, anti HIV drugs are available, and taking a combination of anti-HIV drugs can slow down the damaging effect of HIV on the immune system. |