Being HIV-positive means that there is evidence of thehuman immunodeficiency virus (HIV)in your body.
AnHIV-positive statusis only confirmed after two HIV tests have been done.
It is transmitted through contact with infected blood, semen, or vaginal fluids.
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
Once HIV enters the body, it introduces an antigen called p24.
This is a viral protein that prompts the immune system to activate white blood cells.
The presence of HIV antigens or antibodies in blood, saliva, or urine confirms that someone is HIV-positive.
This is detected through an HIV test.
Two Tests Required
Two HIV tests are required to confirm someone’s HIV status.
This helps ensure that the diagnosis is correct.
False positiveswhen a test incorrectly says you are infectedare rare.
They can also occur in people with certain health conditions, like autoimmune diseases.
This is why confirmation tests are essential.
A positive result is only considered valid when replicated by a second positive result.
As such, you’ll also need a second test to confirm your result.
False negativeswhen test results indicate you’re not infected when you really areare more common than false positives.
The window period depends on the punch in of HIV test done.
A positive HIV test means that HIV antibodies or antigens were found in your blood.
False positives are rare but can occur.
False negatives are more common and occur from testing too soon.
How Someone Becomes HIV-Positive
Anyone can get HIV.
The virus is spread through sexual contact, sharing drug equipment, or general exposure to infected bodily fluids.
It can also be transmitted from parent to child during pregnancy and through breast milk.
That’s because all donor blood in the United States is tested for HIV.
HIV Stages: Severity of Infection
Being HIV-positive only says that the virus is in your body.
This status does not reveal how advanced the infection is.
HIV is categorized by severity.
The three stages differentiate between early infection and progression to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
At this stage, the immune system attempts to attack the virus by producing HIV antibodies.
This process is calledseroconversion, and it usually takes place within a few weeks of infection.
In this stage, those with HIV may experience:
Symptoms may be absent in some people, however.
Of note, antibodies will stick around and remain detectable for many years.
As a result, someone who is living with HIV will usually continue to test positive on HIV tests.
Stage 2: Clinical Latency
When the body enters stage 2, it is called clinical latency.
At this stage, the virus still multiplies but at very low levels.
This is the point at which the virus has now resulted in a condition.
Taking HIV medicine as prescribed stops the progression of the disease so that it does not reach this stage.
However, without early detection and access to healthcare, some people still do progress to stage 3.
Without HIV medicine, people with AIDS typically survive about three years.
However, once an untreated individual has an opportunistic infection, their life expectancy falls to about one year.
HIV is staged by severity and includes acute, latent, and AIDS.
Symptoms vary, depending on the stage.
Some people never develop symptoms at all.
Get our printable guide for your next doctor’s appointment to help you ask the right questions.
One measure they look at is theCD4 test counts.
This is the number of CD4 immune cells in the blood.
These cells are vital to the proper functioning of the immune system.
A low CD4 count, defined as 200 or fewer cells per cubic millimeter, indicates AIDS.
An undetectable viral load, known as viral suppression, is the goal of therapies.
ART is a combination of medications that block the HIV virus from replicating in infected people.
There are eight classes of ART and dozens of different antiretroviral drugs.
Doctors recommend that people start ART immediately once an HIV-positive diagnosis is confirmed.
ART is a standard HIV treatment that combines medications to keep the virus from replicating.
If you feel alienated or confused, join an HIV support group.
False negatives occur when you test too soon after exposure.
False positives are rare, but can occur as a result of technical mishaps or with some health conditions.
ART treatment can suppress the virus, keep you healthier, and lower the risk of transmission.
A Word From Verywell
Getting an HIV-positive diagnosis can be overwhelming.
But finding out early can allow you to access treatment and prevent the infection from getting worse.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Getting tested for HIV.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.False-positive HIV test results.
Naif HM.Pathogenesis of HIV infection.Infect Dis Rep. 2013 Jun 6;5(Suppl 1):e6.
doi:10.4081/idr.2013.s1.e6
World Health Organization.HIV and AIDS.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HIV transmission through transfusion.
2013 Jul;63 Suppl 2(0 2):S187-99.
doi:10.1097/QAI.0b013e31829871e0
HIV.gov.Symptoms of HIV.
HIVinfo.NIH.gov.Just diagnosed: Next steps after testing positive for HIV.
HIV.gov.HIV lab tests and results.
2016;62(12):1586-1594. doi:10.1093/cid/ciw139
International Association of Providers of AIDs Care.Viral load.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.HIV treatment as prevention.
Stone L.The perfect PARTNER: no HIV transmission with ART.Nat Rev Urol.
2014;28(8):1193-1202. doi:10.1097/QAD.0000000000000243
