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Health A to Z: HIV and AIDS

Find out about the symptoms of HIV and AIDS, what treatments are available and how to prevent getting or spreading the infection.

AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) is the name for a collection of serious illnesses caused by the HIV virus.

AIDS is now often called late-stage or advanced HIV. In the UK, most people being treated for HIV do not develop AIDS.

Go to a sexual health clinic if:

  • you think you've been exposed to the HIV virus in the last 72 hours

The virus can be spread by having vaginal, anal or oral sex without a condom or by sharing needles with someone who has HIV.

Staff at the clinic should be able to offer you emergency HIV medicine, which may stop you getting infected.

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You can also get emergency HIV medicine from your nearest A&E.

The symptoms of HIV are different for everyone.

Some people experience a short flu-like illness around 2 to 6 weeks after HIV infection.

This can include:

  • a sore throat
  • a high temperature
  • swollen glands
  • muscle aches and tiredness
  • a skin rash

However, these symptoms can also be caused by lots of common conditions.

You may not have any other symptoms of HIV for years. This means many people with HIV do not know they have it.

If HIV is not treated, it damages your immune system and may eventually cause more serious illnesses, such as tuberculosis, pneumonia or cancer. This is known as advanced HIV, late-stage HIV or AIDS.

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HIV is most often spread by having vaginal, anal or oral sex with someone who has HIV, while not using a condom.

This is because HIV is spread by infected body fluids getting into your bloodstream. This includes blood, semen, vaginal fluids and mucus from inside the anus.

It can also be spread:

  • by sharing needles, syringes or other equipment for injecting drugs with someone who has a detectable viral load
  • by sharing sex toys with someone who has a detectable viral load
  • to your baby during pregnancy or birth if you have a detectable viral load

You cannot get HIV from kissing, hugging or shaking hands, or from sharing toilet seats, food, drinks, or normal everyday household items like cups and cutlery.

Important

If you’re having effective treatment for HIV and have an undetectable viral load (an extremely low level of the HIV virus in your blood), you cannot pass the HIV virus onto someone else.

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There are things you can do to reduce the risk of HIV infection.

Do

  • take medicine called post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) if you think you've been exposed to HIV in the last 72 hours – it's available from sexual health clinics and A&E

  • use condoms before and during any sexual contact between the penis, vagina, mouth or anus – condoms are the most effective protection against HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs)

  • use water-based lubricants (such as K-Y jelly) instead of oil-based lubricants (such as Vaseline or massage and baby oil) with condoms – oil-based lubricants can cause condoms to break or tear

Don't

  • do not share needles, syringes, spoons or swabs, drugs or liquids used to dilute drugs – a GP or drug counsellor should be able to advise you about needle exchange programmes

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Go to a sexual health clinic or see a GP if:

  • you think you've been exposed to the HIV virus more than 72 hours ago

A GP or sexual health professional can offer you an HIV test.

Other ways to get an HIV test

You can also get an HIV test from:

HIV tests use saliva from your mouth or blood from your finger.

If you have an HIV test in a clinic, they’ll usually send the blood or saliva to a laboratory for testing and you’ll get the result within a few days.

If you order an HIV home testing kit, the result is often available within a few minutes. It’s important to use good quality home testing kits from a reliable source.

Make sure the test you buy:

  • is clearly marked as being for self-testing
  • has a CE mark and the manufacturer details are clearly displayed
  • is not damaged and the seal is not broken

Pregnant women are offered an HIV blood test as part of routine antenatal screening for hepatitis B, HIV and syphilis.

HIV test results

If your result is ‘negative’, this means the test has found no signs of HIV infection.

You may be advised to take another test a few weeks later, especially if you may have been exposed to the HIV virus within the last few weeks.

If your result is ‘positive’, this means you could have HIV. You’ll need to have a blood test at a clinic.

If this second test is also positive, you’ll be referred to an HIV clinic for more tests and to discuss your treatment options.

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There is currently no cure for HIV, but there are treatments to help reduce the amount of HIV in your blood.

You'll be seen at a specialist HIV clinic, where healthcare professionals can discuss your treatment options with you.

Anti-HIV medicines

HIV can be treated with anti-HIV medicines called antiretrovirals. These are tablets that you’ll need to take every day.

The aim is to bring down the amount of HIV in your blood to a level where it can no longer be measured. This is known as an undetectable viral load.

If you're taking daily medicines, it usually takes around 6 months for the virus to be undetectable.

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Being diagnosed with HIV can be very worrying and difficult to accept, as it's a lifelong condition.

But it's important to know that with the correct treatment, most people with HIV do not go on to develop AIDS and are able to live a long and healthy life.

Your healthcare team will offer you counselling so you can discuss any concerns.

You'll need to tell your partner and any recent sexual partners who may have been exposed to HIV.

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If you’re diagnosed with HIV, healthcare professionals will support you throughout your treatment.

There are also national charities who provide information and support for anyone living with HIV.

You may find it helpful to talk to other people who have HIV, through online or local support groups.

If you need to stop work or work part-time because of HIV, find out about social care and support options.

Terrence Higgins Trust

Terrence Higgins Trust provides a range of information and support for people living with HIV.

National AIDS Trust

National AIDS Trust provides a range of information for people living with HIV.

Content supplied by the NHS website

Page last reviewed: 11/07/2025