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HIV and AIDS

Treatment

Open all pages about HIV and AIDS

HIV often starts with a flu-like illness. After that, you might have no symptoms for many years, but the damage to your immune system continues.

HIV is spread through body fluids like semen, vaginal fluids, blood and breast milk. In the UK, it's mainly caught by having sex without a condom.

You can get a HIV test in a number of places, including at a GP surgery, sexual health clinics and clinics run by charities.

There's no cure for HIV, but medicines called antiretrovirals can control the virus and prevent further damage.

You can reduce your risk of HIV by using a condom for sex and not sharing needles or syringes.

HIV is a virus that damages your immune system. If not treated, it can cause AIDS, where you become too weak to fight off life-threatening infections.

Page last reviewed: 22/04/2021
Next review due: 22/04/2024