What is the best treatment for HIV?

The most effective treatment for HIV is antiretroviral therapy (ART). This is a combination of several medicines that aims to control the amount of virus in your body. Antiretroviral medicines slow the rate at which the virus grows.

Can I test positive if my viral load is undetectable?

You will still test positive for HIV if you are undetectable. HIV tests usually detect antibodies, which are part of your immune system’s response to HIV. People living with HIV who are undetectable still have antibodies to HIV which means you will test positive for HIV even if you have an undetectable viral load.

How long does it take for a viral load to be undetectable?

When a person living with HIV begins an antiretroviral treatment regimen, their viral load drops. For almost everyone who starts taking their HIV medication daily as prescribed, viral load will drop to an undetectable level in six months or less.

What is HIV virus?

HIV is a virus spread through certain body fluids that attacks the body’s immune system, specifically the CD4 cells, often called T cells. Over time, HIV can destroy so many of these cells that the body can’t fight off infections and disease. It is the virus that can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or AIDS if not treated.

How does undetectable viral load help prevent transmission of HIV?

Treatment Helps Prevent Transmission to Others If you have an undetectable viral load, you have effectively no risk of transmitting HIV to an HIV-negative partner through sex. Having an undetectable viral load may also help prevent transmission from injection drug use.

What happens if you catch AIDS?

You can’t “catch” AIDS. AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV infection. If you have HIV and you are not on HIV treatment, eventually your body’s immune system will weaken and you will progress to AIDS. People with AIDS have such badly damaged immune systems that they get a number of severe illnesses, called opportunistic infections.

What is the Swiss Statement on HIV transmission under suppressive therapy?

^ Vernazza P, Bernard EJ (January 29, 2016). “HIV is not transmitted under fully suppressive therapy: The Swiss Statement–eight years later”. Swiss Medical Weekly. 146: w14246. doi: 10.4414/smw.2016.14246.