HIV: prevention, testing and treatment
How HIV spreads, how it does not, testing, treatment and protecting babies.
✓ Clinically reviewed · Catherine, RN & Juah, RN
📝 Audio transcript
HIV: prevention, testing and treatment.
HIV is a virus that attacks the body's defence (immune) system. Without treatment it can lead to AIDS, often after many years.
HIV spreads through blood, semen, vaginal fluids and breast milk. It can pass from a mother to her baby during pregnancy, birth or breastfeeding. It does not spread through kissing, hugging, shaking hands, or sharing food, water or personal objects.
You can lower your risk by using condoms, getting tested for HIV and other STIs, and using prevention medicine. PrEP is medicine taken by people without HIV to lower their risk. PEP is medicine taken soon after a possible exposure. A health worker can advise you.
Rapid tests give same-day results, and HIV self-tests exist. A positive result must be confirmed by a trained health worker. After a recent risk, a test can be repeated after 28 days.
There is no cure, but treatment (antiretroviral therapy) lets people with HIV live full and healthy lives. People on treatment whose blood shows no virus do not pass HIV to sexual partners.
Pregnant women with HIV should start treatment as soon as possible. This protects their own health and helps prevent HIV passing to the baby.
When should I get help?
- If you think you were exposed to HIV, see a health worker as soon as possible about PEP.
- If you are pregnant, ask for an HIV test at your antenatal check-up.
Key things to remember
- HIV is not spread by hugging, kissing or sharing food.
- Treatment lets people with HIV live full, healthy lives.
- Treatment in pregnancy helps protect the baby.
📖 Read the full lesson
HIV is a virus that attacks the body's defence (immune) system. Without treatment it can lead to AIDS, often after many years.
HIV spreads through blood, semen, vaginal fluids and breast milk. It can pass from a mother to her baby during pregnancy, birth or breastfeeding. It does not spread through kissing, hugging, shaking hands, or sharing food, water or personal objects.
You can lower your risk by using condoms, getting tested for HIV and other STIs, and using prevention medicine. PrEP is medicine taken by people without HIV to lower their risk. PEP is medicine taken soon after a possible exposure. A health worker can advise you.
Rapid tests give same-day results, and HIV self-tests exist. A positive result must be confirmed by a trained health worker. After a recent risk, a test can be repeated after 28 days.
There is no cure, but treatment (antiretroviral therapy) lets people with HIV live full and healthy lives. People on treatment whose blood shows no virus do not pass HIV to sexual partners.
Pregnant women with HIV should start treatment as soon as possible. This protects their own health and helps prevent HIV passing to the baby.
📚 Sources
- World Health Organization — HIV and AIDS (fact sheet) 27 Jul 2026 · accessed 31 Oct 2026
Written in plain language from these sources. It does not imply endorsement by these organizations.
HH-ART-010 · Version 1.0 · Last updated 4 Nov 2026
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