HIV

Let’s break down the essentials about HIV in a simple, friendly way. You’ll learn what HIV is, how it is transmitted, why testing matters, and how to live well with HIV.

What Is HIV?

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) can weaken your immune system, the body’s built-in defence that  keeps you healthy. Some people experience cold- or flu-like symptoms at the beginning of an HIV infection, but many people do not experience any symptoms at all. It is possible to have HIV without knowing it—sometimes for many years. The only way to know for sure is to get Tested.

Why Testing Matters

There’s currently no cure for HIV, but there are very effective treatment options to manage HIV. With proper care, treatment and support, most people living with HIV can have a near-normal life expectancy. 

• Know your status: If you do not know whether you have HIV, get tested.
• Test often: If you are sexually active, always aim to get tested every three to six months.
• After possible exposure: If you think you might have been exposed, get tested—ideally within three weeks.

Aside on serosorting: Some people choose partners with the same HIV status as their own. This is called serosorting. It can feel safer, but HIV status can change between tests. For example, someone might have become HIV positive since their last HIV test or they might think they’re HIV negative because they have no symptoms. So it is not a fully reliable plan on its own.

How HIV Is Transmitted

HIV is transmitted when body fluids with the virus enter another person’s bloodstream. These fluids include:

• Blood, including menstrual blood
• Semen (cum) and pre-cum
• Front-hole fluid
• Vaginal fluid
• Anal fluid
• Chest milk (breast milk)
  

The virus can get in through broken skin, the urethra at the opening of a flesh cock, or the wet linings of the body (front hole, vagina, or ass).

Ways that HIV can be transmitted:

1. Sex without the use of any protection
2. Sharing needles or other equipment used to inject drugs or hormones
3. To a fetus during pregnancy or to an infant during birth or chest feeding
4. Re-using unsterilized tattooing or body piercing equipment
5. HIV does not spread through sweat, saliva, or urine.

Undetectable = Untransmittable (U = U)

Great news: If you take HIV treatment every day and keep your viral load so low that tests can’t find HIV for at least six months, you cannot transmit HIV through sex. This is called U = U (undetectable equals untransmittable). To stay undetectable, keep taking your medicine as prescribed.

Know Your Status

The only way to know if you have HIV is to get tested. There are many testing options available! HIV tests may not detect the virus immediately, so you may need to test again at three months for an accurate result. Make testing part of your self-care routine, especially if you have multiple or anonymous partners. Talk to a healthcare provider about available testing options and what might be right for you.

To find a clinic near you, visit whereto.catie.ca.

Living with HIV

You cannot cure HIV, but you can keep it under control:

• Start treatment early: The sooner you begin medication, the better you feel and the healthier you stay.
• Talk about other meds: Some HIV drugs can affect your T levels or mix with party drugs and other prescriptions.
• Surgery plans: Being HIV positive does not stop gender-affirming surgery or other procedures.
  

HIV organizations and community health centres can support you. These services are also a good way to connect with peers and to find other resources. To find your local HIV organization, visit whereto.catie.ca.