Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a virus that affects the body’s immune system and reduces its ability to fight infections.
Human immunodeficiency virus can be passed on:
- through unprotected vaginal or anal sex;
- by sharing needles or drug injecting equipment;
- from a mother to her baby if the mother is not on HIV treatment.
The most common way of getting HIV in the UK is through having anal or vaginal sex without a condom.
Antiretroviral medicines are used to treat HIV. Treatment reduces the level of HIV in the blood to ‘undetectable’ levels and there is clear evidence that someone who has undetectable HIV cannot pass on HIV through sex.
This is called ‘Undetectable = Untransmittable’, or ‘U= U’.
Raising awareness about HIV
Every year, World AIDS Day events take place to raise awareness and show support for people living with HIV. World AIDS Day falls on 1 December each year.