Simple FactSheet: HIV

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus)
a Simple FactSheet from the AIDS Treatment Data Network

||||| What is HIV:

Viruses have been around for thousands of years and there are many kinds of viruses. Some viruses cause colds and illnesses like the flu, others can cause more serious illnesses like AIDS, hepatitis, or herpes. A virus can't live on its own or spread on its own. It needs human cells to live and grow. Most people are infected with some kind of virus. Usually, your immune system is able to keep viruses under control.

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. The HIV virus infects cells of the immune system. Your immune system is what protects you from infections and disease. HIV uses cells of your immune system to grow. When HIV has used one of these cells to grow, the cell can no longer do its job, leaving your body without a part of its immune system. Pieces of the HIV virus go all over the body. Even pieces of virus can cause damage.

The blood test to find out if you're HIV-positive (HIV+) tells the doctor if your body is making antibodies. Antibodies are made by your immune system to fight infection. If your body is making antibodies to HIV, this means you've been infected with the virus. Once you've tested positive for the antibodies to HIV, you will always test positive.

Each day, HIV creates billions of new HIV viruses in the body. The body's natural reaction to infection is to produce a strong response. In response to HIV infection, the immune system of someone who is HIV+ produces billions of cells to fight HIV every day as well.

But HIV takes every chance it gets to produce faster than the body can attack it. Eventually, in most people, the virus can get the upper hand unless treatments stop it or slow it down. At this point, we know there are several treatments that can slow the infection down. We also know that a handful of people are able to fight off the virus for a long time. Doctors agree that HIV infection needs to be treated so that you don't get sick, or sicker.

Get regular blood tests to watch your immune system. Blood tests also show other important things like how well your liver is doing and whether or not you have anemia. Most people only go to the doctor when they're already ill. People with HIV can't wait until they're sick. Go over your blood test results with your doctor. You have the right as a patient to ask questions and have your test results explained to you in language you understand.

Some questions you might want to ask are:

How is my immune system now?
Do I need any treatments right now?
What are the usual treatments used for where I am now?
Do I need to get any vaccines?

With HIV infection, your immune system may slowly get weaker or may become overactive. Either way, your immune system is out of balance. HIV starts a process that can be very hard to stop once it starts. With a weakened immune system, you can more easily get infections and cancers. You may not see any signs of these at first. Doctors can use blood tests to see how your immune system is doing. These tests can tell you and your doctor if there are treatments you need to help keep you from getting infections that can make you very sick.

You don't have AIDS as soon as you're infected with HIV. The disease process takes a while, around 10 years on average. The process goes from being HIV+ without any symptoms or signs of disease to being HIV+ with symptoms to having AIDS. AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Immune deficiency means that your immune system has been damaged by HIV. A damaged immune system can't protect you from infections as well as a healthy immune system.

Many doctors use your CD4 cells to measure the current status of your immune system. CD4 cells are cells that help control infection. The normal range for CD4 cells is usually 500-1600 cells. For many people whose CD4 cells fall below 200, the risk increases of getting certain infections. If you have less than 200 CD4 cells, talk to your doctor about preventive treatment. Preventive treatments are also called prophylaxis. These treatments help keep you from getting infections as your CD4 cell count drops. Tests can show which infections you've been exposed to. Your health care provider can tell you about treatments. Be sure to find out what the side effects and benefits are for each treatment. Preventive treatments can prevent or slow down illness so you stay healthy longer.

HIV is a kind of virus called a retrovirus. It uses the cells in your body to make more viruses. Drugs that fight HIV are known as antiretrovirals. There are three main types of antiretroviral drugs. Antiretroviral drugs are now being used in combinations that have been shown to dramatically reduce the amount of HIV in the body. These combinations have also been shown to help people stay healthy and live longer. Call The Network for a fact sheet about any of these treatments.

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Last modified: 8/15/2006
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\|\|\|\|\| What is HIV:
Viruses have been around for thousands of years and there are many kinds of viruses. Some viruses cause colds and illnesses like the flu, others can cause more serious illnesses like AIDS, hepatitis, or herpes. A virus can't live on its own or spread on its own. It needs human cells to live and grow. Most people are infected with some kind of virus. Usually, your immune system is able to keep viruses under control. HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. The HIV virus infects cells of the immune system. Your immune system is what protects you from infections and disease. HIV uses cells of your immune system to grow. When HIV has used one of these cells to grow, the cell can no longer do its job, leaving your body without a part of its immune system. Pieces of the HIV virus go all over the body. Even pieces of virus can cause damage. The blood test to find out if you're HIV-positive (HIV+) tells the doctor if your body is making antibodies. Antibodies are made by your immune system to fight infection. If your body is making antibodies to HIV, this means you've been infected with the virus. Once you've tested positive for the antibodies to HIV, you will always test positive. Each day, HIV creates billions of new HIV viruses in the body. The body's natural reaction to infection is to produce a strong response. In response to HIV infection, the immune system of someone who is HIV+ produces billions of cells to fight HIV every day as well. But HIV takes every chance it gets to produce faster than the body can attack it. Eventually, in most people, the virus can get the upper hand unless treatments stop it or slow it down. At this point, we know there are several treatments that can slow the infection down. We also know that a handful of people are able to fight off the virus for a long time. Doctors agree that HIV infection needs to be treated so that you don't get sick, or sicker. Get regular blood tests to watch your immune system. Blood tests also show other important things like how well your liver is doing and whether or not you have anemia. Most people only go to the doctor when they're already ill. People with HIV can't wait until they're sick. Go over your blood test results with your doctor. You have the right as a patient to ask questions and have your test results explained to you in language you understand. Some questions you might want to ask are: How is my immune system now? Do I need any treatments right now? What are the usual treatments used for where I am now? Do I need to get any vaccines? With HIV infection, your immune system may slowly get weaker or may become overactive. Either way, your immune system is out of balance. HIV starts a process that can be very hard to stop once it starts. With a weakened immune system, you can more easily get infections and cancers. You may not see any signs of these at first. Doctors can use blood tests to see how your immune system is doing. These tests can tell you and your doctor if there are treatments you need to help keep you from getting infections that can make you very sick. You don't have AIDS as soon as you're infected with HIV. The disease process takes a while, around 10 years on average. The process goes from being HIV+ without any symptoms or signs of disease to being HIV+ with symptoms to having AIDS. AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. Immune deficiency means that your immune system has been damaged by HIV. A damaged immune system can't protect you from infections as well as a healthy immune system. Many doctors use your CD4 cells to measure the current status of your immune system. CD4 cells are cells that help control infection. The normal range for CD4 cells is usually 500-1600 cells. For many people whose CD4 cells fall below 200, the risk increases of getting certain infections. If you have less than 200 CD4 cells, talk to your doctor about preventive treatment. Preventive treatments are also called prophylaxis. These treatments help keep you from getting infections as your CD4 cell count drops. Tests can show which infections you've been exposed to. Your health care provider can tell you about treatments. Be sure to find out what the side effects and benefits are for each treatment. Preventive treatments can prevent or slow down illness so you stay healthy longer. HIV is a kind of virus called a retrovirus. It uses the cells in your body to make more viruses. Drugs that fight HIV are known as antiretrovirals. There are three main types of antiretroviral drugs. Antiretroviral drugs are now being used in combinations that have been shown to dramatically reduce the amount of HIV in the body. These combinations have also been shown to help people stay healthy and live longer. Call The Network for a fact sheet about any of these treatments.