How to Prevent HIV Infection and AIDS

HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection is a long-term (chronic) viral infection. HIV kills white blood cells that help to control the body’s defense (immune) system and fight infection. HIV spreads through semen, blood, breast milk, rectal fluid, and vaginal fluid. HIV is commonly spread through sexual contact and sharing needles or syringes, because these behaviors involve exchanging bodily fluids. Without treatment, HIV can turn into AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), which is an advanced stage of HIV infection. AIDS is a very serious illness and can be life-threatening.

What changes can I make to protect myself from HIV infection?

Sexual contact

To protect yourself from HIV through sexual contact:

• Use devices that prevent body fluids from passing between partners (barrier protection) every time you have sex. Barrier protection can be used during oral, vaginal, or anal sex. Commonly used barrier methods include:
  • Male condom.
  • Female condom.
  • Dental dam.
• If you are at risk, ask your health care provider about taking medicine that can prevent HIV infection (pre-exposure prophylaxis, PrEP).
• Get tested for HIV and know the HIV status of your sexual partner(s). Avoid having sex with partners without a known HIV status. If you or your partner is HIV-positive, use protection during sex.
• Practice monogamy. This means you have only one sexual partner in your lifetime or only one partner at a time (serial monogamy).
• Get tested and treated for STIs (sexually transmitted infections). Having an STI increases your risk for getting HIV.

The only way to completely prevent HIV from being spread through sexual contact is not to have any kind of sex (abstinence), including oral, vaginal, or anal sex.

Drug use

To protect yourself from HIV through drug use:

• Do not use drugs, especially drugs that are injected.
• Avoid having sex while under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Alcohol and drugs can affect your ability to make good decisions and may lead you to engage in high risk behaviors.
• Do not share needles or syringes with anyone else. If you do share needles or syringes, consider taking PrEP to prevent HIV infection.

Blood and bodily fluid

To protect yourself from HIV through exposure to blood and bodily fluids from a person who has HIV:

• Cover any sores or wounds on yourself or the person with HIV.
• If you need to touch blood or bodily fluids from an infected person, use gloves and wash your hands afterward.
• Do not share items that touch bodily fluids or blood, such as toothbrushes or razors.

What can happen if I do not make these changes?

If you do not make these changes:

• You put yourself at risk of getting HIV from an infected person. HIV is a serious, life-threatening illness that cannot be cured. Having HIV makes it easier to get sick and more difficult to get well.
• You can pass HIV on to others even if you don’t know that you have it. An infected mother can also pass it to her children through pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding.
• You expose yourself to complications from the virus. Without treatment, the virus progresses. As it multiplies in your body, it causes the immune system to stop protecting you from infections and other health problems. You may get infections that you would not normally get if your immune system was healthy and working properly (opportunistic diseases).
• You put yourself at risk of side effects from HIV medicines. HIV medicines (antiretroviral therapy, ART) can help slow the virus from progressing and prevent its spread to others. People with HIV must take these medicines on a daily basis in order to live long, healthy lives. However, these medicines have side effects. Long-term use of ART medicines can lead to chronic health conditions, such as damage to the liver and kidneys, diabetes, and heart disease. People who take HIV medicines must use protection during sex because they can still pass the virus on to sexual partners.
• You could also put yourself at high risk for getting other sexually transmitted infections.
• You put yourself at risk of having an unintended pregnancy.

Where to find support

To get support preventing HIV infection and AIDS:

• Talk with your health care provider.
• Visit your local health department or clinic.
• Consider joining a support group.

Where to find more information

Learn more about HIV and AIDS from:

• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: www.aids.gov  
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
  • More information about preventing HIV: www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/prevention.html  
  • How to find a location where you can get sexual health materials and treatment for free or for a low cost: gettested.cdc.gov  

Summary

• HIV spreads through semen, blood, breast milk, rectal fluid, and vaginal fluid.
• HIV is commonly spread through sexual contact and sharing needles or syringes, because these behaviors lead to an exchange of bodily fluids.
• To protect yourself from HIV through sexual contact, use a barrier protection method every time you have sex.
• Avoid having sex while under the influence of alcohol and drugs. These substances may lead you to engage in high risk behaviors.
• Get tested for HIV and make sure your sexual partner(s) get tested too.