VIH/SIDA

HIV is the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This virus attacks the cells of the immune system, targeting specifically certain white blood cells which defend the body against infections and illness. By destroying these cells, HIV progressively weakens the immune system. HIV is considered a chronic illness, which means there isn't yet a treatment that allows to cure it in all situations. Infected people generally live with HIV for the rest of their lives.

The difference between HIV and AIDS

AIDS, or Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Syndrome is the most advanced stage of HIV infection. This happens when HIV is not treated and is notably when the immune system collapses. Opportune infections begin to develop: they are caused by micro-organisms, usually inoffensive for healthy people. Without treatment, life expectancy becomes very limited.

Currently, treatments keep the evolution of the virus under control, and people who are infected by HIV do not typically develop AIDS if under treatment.

More info

📄️ Protect yourself

Discover efficient methods to protect yourself against HIV, condoms, PrEP, TasP and regular testing.

📄️ Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)

PrEP reduces HIV infection risk. Understand how this preventative treatment protects efficiently exposed people.

📄️ Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)

PEP is an emergency treatment after an exposure to HIV to prevent infection. Learn when and how to get it.

📄️ Treatment as Prevention (TasP)

TasP is an efficient treatment that makes HIV undetectable and untransmittable. Understand its role in HIV risk reduction.

📄️ Serophobia

Serophobia is a discrimination against seropositive people or people living with HIV. This discrimination is often present in healthcare.

📄️ HIV in France

HIV in France, numbers, data and statistics.

Vocabulary

Some terms that are important to know:

• Seronegative: A person is seronegative if they are not infected with HIV (in this case).
• Seropositive: A person is seropositive if they carry / are infected with the HIV virus.
• Serodifferent: A serodifferent couple is where one partner is seropositive (has HIV) and the other is seronegative (does not have HIV).