Some people are advised to have regular tests as they're at particularly high risk. Read more about who's most at risk of HIV. HIV is found in the body fluids of an infected person. This includes semen, vaginal and anal fluids, blood and breast milk. The chance of getting HIV through oral sex is very low and will be dependent on many things, such as whether you receive or give oral sex and the oral hygiene of the person giving the oral sex.
Seek medical advice as soon as possible if you think you might have been exposed to HIV. You can get tested in a number of places, including at a GP surgery, sexual health clinics and clinics run by charities. Find HIV testing services near you. This involves testing a sample of your blood or saliva for signs of the infection. Both positive and negative HIV tests may need to be repeated 1 to 3 months after potential exposure to HIV infection this is known as the window period , but you should not wait this long to seek help:.
If your first test suggests you have HIV, a further blood test will need to be carried out to confirm the result. With the advancements in treatment, progression to Stage 3 is less common today than in the early days of HIV. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to page options Skip directly to A-Z link. Section Navigation. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Syndicate. About HIV. Minus Related Pages.
HIV Basics. What is HIV? Info Sheet: HIV This info sheet provides basic information about HIV. As a result, the infection spreads more easily during primary infection than during the next stage.
In this stage of infection, HIV is still present in the body and in white blood cells. However, many people may not have any symptoms or infections during this time. This stage can last for many years if you're not receiving antiretroviral therapy ART. Some people develop more severe disease much sooner.
As the virus continues to multiply and destroy your immune cells — the cells in your body that help fight off germs — you may develop mild infections or chronic signs and symptoms such as:.
Thanks to better antiviral treatments, most people with HIV in the U. When AIDS occurs, your immune system has been severely damaged. You'll be more likely to develop opportunistic infections or opportunistic cancers — diseases that wouldn't usually cause illness in a person with a healthy immune system. If you think you may have been infected with HIV or are at risk of contracting the virus, see a doctor as soon as possible.
HIV is caused by a virus. It can spread through sexual contact or blood, or from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth or breast-feeding. HIV destroys CD4 T cells — white blood cells that play a large role in helping your body fight disease.
The fewer CD4 T cells you have, the weaker your immune system becomes. To become infected with HIV , infected blood, semen or vaginal secretions must enter your body. This can happen in several ways:. You can't become infected with HIV through ordinary contact. HIV isn't spread through the air, water or insect bites. HIV infection weakens your immune system, making you much more likely to develop many infections and certain types of cancers.
But you can protect yourself and others from infection. Your doctor will also test your kidney function before prescribing Truvada and continue to test it every six months. You need to take the drugs every day. They don't prevent other STIs , so you'll still need to practice safe sex.
If you have hepatitis B, you should be evaluated by an infectious disease or liver specialist before beginning therapy. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products.
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