HIV Infection

HIV Fact Sheet (PDF 16 KB)

What is HIV infection?

HIV infection is a chronic infection of the body caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV infects the cells of the immune system and, if untreated, can progressively destroy the body's natural ability to fight off infections and certain cancers.

Transmission

HIV enters the body usually as a result of unprotected sex with an infected individual or through contact with infected blood. HIV is frequently spread by the sharing of needles among intravenous drug users. Health care workers may become infected from accidental sticks with contaminated needles or other medical instruments.

Children can also contract HIV from infected mothers either during pregnancy, birth, or via breast-feeding. Blood transfusions are not a common source of HIV infection since donated blood has been screened specifically for HIV since 1985. Furthermore, the Red Cross and other blood collection agencies ask people not to donate if they have engaged in behaviors that put them at risk for HIV infection.

How is HIV NOT spread?

HIV is not transmitted through casual contact such as sneezing, shaking hands, coughing, toilet seats, sharing utensils, phones or office equipment, touching or hugging. HIV is not spread via insect bites.

Occurrence

It is estimated that over one million people in the U.S. and over 17 million people worldwide are infected with HIV. In the U.S., HIV has become the leading cause of death among men aged 25 to 44, and the fourth leading cause of death in women in this same age group.

What is AIDS?

The term AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) applies to the most advanced stages of HIV infection. HIV attacks and destroys key components of the immune system, and as the immune system fails, the infected individual gradually succumbs to microbes that normally would not harm an uninfected individual.

While HIV infection is a life-threatening disease, it is important to realize that early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent serious complications of HIV, and that anti-HIV therapy can delay the onset of AIDS and prolong life in some individuals.

Infection with HIV is not the same as AIDS. AIDS is one stage in a series of stages of HIV infection. HIV infects the immune system and weakens it, eventually leading to AIDS. A series of infections and cancers take advantage of the weakened immune system. When this happens, an infected individual is diagnosed with AIDS.

The incubation period between contracting HIV and developing symptoms of AIDS is highly variable and can last longer than ten years in some individuals.

Who is at risk for HIV infection?

People at risk for HIV infection include men who have sex with other men, persons with multiple sexual partners, prostitutes and their sexual partners, persons with other sexually transmitted diseases, sexual partners of those at high risk, current or past injection drug users, recipients of blood products between 1977 and 1985, and infants of high-risk mothers.

Testing & diagnosis

Since early HIV infection is often without symptoms, it is primarily detected by testing a person's blood for the presence of antibodies to HIV. HIV antibodies generally do not reach detectable levels until one to three months after infection, and may take as long as six months to be detected in standard blood tests.

If you test positive for HIV, you are infected with HIV. Even if you feel fine, you can still pass HIV  to someone else. If you test negative, you may not be infected or it may be too soon to tell if you are carrying the virus. An HIV test is meaningful only if you have not engaged in behavior that would put you at risk for infection for the last six months prior to your HIV test. 

It is important to understand that being diagnosed with HIV is not a "death sentence." While there is no cure for HIV infection, people typically live for many years after their diagnosis. There are many drugs to treat HIV infection and also to treat its complications. Both medical and emotional support for persons with HIV/AIDS is extremely important for the prolonged health and well-being of an HIV-infected individual.

Prevention 

There is currently no available vaccine for HIV. The only way to prevent HIV infection is to avoid behaviors that are risky, such as sharing needles or having unprotected sex. For health care workers, using universal precautions is the safest way to avoid becoming infected with HIV. Persons who inject drugs are at great risk from sharing needles or other "works". Boulder County Health Department offers a confidential syringe exchange program (The Works Program) that can be contacted by calling 303-413-7522.

If you are at risk for HIV, you may also be at risk for hepatitis B virus & hepatitis C virus. It is strongly recommended that you consult with your physician and consider testing for hepatitis B and C in addition to HIV. Testing and counseling for HIV, Hepatitis B & C (confidential or anonymous) is available through Boulder County Health Department. To schedule an appointment,  please call 303-413-7500.

For more information on HIV, contact Boulder County Health Department's HIV/AIDS Prevention and Risk Reduction Program at 303-413-7522.

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