Since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, men who sleep with men (MSM) and IV drug users have been at risk for acquiring HIV infection and AIDS. It’s important to know that having other STIs can make a person more likely to get or give HIV infection. You can help stop the spread of both HIV and STIs among the gay and bisexual community by learning more about HIV and AIDS and getting tested. This site provides the information you need.

If you are sexually active, make (sexually transmitted infection) STI testing part of your routine. You have a few options:

Although there is no cure for HIV infection, a number of anti-retroviral drugs are available to slow down the progression of the disease and potentially improve quality of life. Left untreated, HIV infection may quickly advance to full blown AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) — a condition that weakens the immune system to a point that makes it virtually impossible for the body to fight off infection.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the virus that causes AIDS or acquired immune deficiency syndrome—a chronic, deadly condition that compromises the immune system and prevents the body from warding off viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites.

HIV infection may lead to AIDS, but being HIV-positive does not mean that you have AIDS. Many people who are HIV-positive don’t get sick for several years, which is why it’s so important to get tested and get treatment right away if you think you’ve been infected. HIV is passed through bodily fluids including blood, vaginal fluid, semen and breast milk. Most people acquire the virus through sexual contact and sharing needles or drug paraphernalia. Pregnant women who are HIV-positive can pass it on to their babies, and babies who drink the breast milk of an infected person may also become infected.

Acute HIV infection, this first stage of HIV infection may not have symptoms but usually there is sore throat, fever, fatigue, headache, swollen lymph nodes and rash. Because these symptoms are so similar to the flu or other relatively minor illnesses due to viruses, many HIV-positive people have no idea they have become infected. So, if you have any reason to think you’ve been exposed, get tested right away.

In most cases, infection progresses with no symptoms and is the asymptomatic stage. If left untreated, a person can go undetected for up to a decade until major symptoms begin to present themselves. These symptoms may include: diarrhea, weight loss, mild infections, fever, cough and shortness of breath. Following that, even more severe symptoms will occur including soaking night sweats, shaking chills or high fever, dry cough, shortness of breath, chronic diarrhea, unusual sores in the mouth, blurred vision, weight loss, numerous other symptoms and opportunistic infections; a weakened immune system leading to AIDS.

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the virus that causes AIDS or acquired immune deficiency syndrome—a chronic, deadly condition that compromises the immune system and prevents the body from warding off viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites.

HIV infection may lead to AIDS, but being HIV-positive does not mean that you have AIDS. Many people who are HIV-positive don’t get sick for several years, which is why it’s so important to get tested and get treatment right away if you think you’ve been infected. HIV is passed through bodily fluids including blood, vaginal fluid, semen and breast milk. Most people acquire the virus through sexual contact and sharing needles or drug paraphernalia. Pregnant women who are HIV-positive can pass it on to their babies, and babies who drink the breast milk of an infected person may also become infected.

Testing is easy and safe. By getting tested regularly (every 6 months) you can get treatment before HIV disease progresses. You’ll also be protecting your sexual partners and the community by knowing your status.

HIV is diagnosed with a blood or oral fluid test that looks for the presence of specific antibodies that the body makes in response to the infection. If you have these antibodies in your blood, you are HIV-positive. Usually, these antibodies can be detected within 6 weeks of exposure.

There is no cure for HIV infection. But now there are several drugs that can improve quality of life by reducing the virus to very low or undetectable levels. In most cases, a combination of several anti-retroviral drugs are used. Over time, your doctor may need to use several different combinations of drugs to combat different stages of the disease.

If you are sexually active, make STI testing part of your routine. In addition, use condoms, consider limiting the number of sexual partners and know each partner’s sexual history.

If you are infected, seek treatment and discuss options with your doctor for continued sexual activity. In addition, consider notifying your current and past sexual partners so that they may get tested and seek medical treatment.

It’s important for everyone to know that having an STI makes it much more likely to acquire or transmit HIV infection. If you’re HIV-positive and you know you’ve been exposed to an STI, you should get tested and get treatment right away. As mentioned you may need more medication to cure some STIs.