HIV and AIDS Mate ārai kore

The HIV virus infects and damages CD4 cells, which are an important part of your immune system. If enough CD4 cells are damaged, your body cannot fight off certain germs, which can lead to infections and illness.

AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. It is when a person's immune system has been badly damaged by the HIV virus. A person with AIDS can develop infections and illnesses that are life-threatening.

HIV can be passed on through body fluids such as:

• blood
• semen
• rectal and vaginal fluids
• breast milk.

Saliva, sweat and urine do not carry enough of the virus to infect another person. HIV cannot be passed on through kissing or touching a person living with HIV.

If a person living with HIV has been on medication and has had an undetectable viral load for at least 6 months, there is no risk of passing on HIV through sex. An undetectable viral load means that medication has brought the level of virus down to the point where blood tests cannot detect it.

HIV can be prevented by using a condom during sex.

HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) is a medication that can be taken to help prevent HIV.  PrEP is available through your GP or sexual health clinics. Talk to your healthcare provider about this if you think it might be useful for you.

HIV Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) is a medication that can be taken after a potential exposure to help prevent HIV. PEP needs to be started within 72 hours of the exposure and is available through GPs, Emergency Departments and sexual health clinics.

People who inject drugs can prevent HIV by not sharing drug injecting equipment. For more information about needle exchange services, you can visit New Zealand Needle Exchange Programme page.

New Zealand Needle Exchange Programme

You can have HIV with no symptoms.

To find out if you have HIV you need to have an HIV blood test.

It is important to get tested. If you have HIV, the earlier you are diagnosed, the earlier you can start treatment to help you stay well. You can have an HIV test through:

• your healthcare provider
• Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa clinic
• sexual health clinic
• an HIV organisation such as Burnett Foundation, Body Positive, or Positive Women Inc

All pregnant people in Aotearoa New Zealand are offered HIV testing as part of their antenatal blood tests. If you are pregnant and have HIV, you can take medicines that make it much less likely you will pass HIV to your pēpi (baby).

While there is no cure for HIV, there are very effective treatments with antiretroviral medicines. These work by stopping the virus reproducing.

If you take the medicine your healthcare provider advises, you can expect to live a long and healthy life.

You can find out more about medicines for HIV on the Burnett Foundation website.

Medication — Burnett Foundation

Being diagnosed with HIV can be very scary. But it is important to remember that excellent treatment is available that can keep you well.

It is important to get the right support and to find out as much as you can about HIV so you can make good decisions about your life and treatment.