WHAT IS TMP/SMX? WHY DO PEOPLE WITH HIV TAKE TMP/SMX? WHAT ABOUT DRUG RESISTANCE? HOW IS TMP/SMX TAKEN? WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS? HOW DOES TMP/SMX REACT WITH OTHER DRUGS? WHAT IS TMP/SMX? TMP/SMX is combination of two antibiotic drugs: trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole. It is also known as cotrimoxazole. It is sold as Bactrim® (manufactured […]

WHAT IS PCP? HOW IS PCP TREATED? CAN PCP BE PREVENTED? WHICH DRUG IS BEST? THE BOTTOM LINE WHAT IS PCP? Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP or pneumocystis) is the most common opportunistic infection in people with HIV. Without treatment, over 85% of people with HIV would eventually develop PCP. It has been the major killer of […]

WHAT IS ACUTE HIV INFECTION? TESTING FOR ACUTE HIV INFECTION RISK OF IMMUNE DAMAGE RISK OF INFECTING OTHERS TREATING ACUTE HIV INFECTION PROS AND CONS OF TREATING ACUTE HIV THE BOTTOM LINE WHAT IS ACUTE HIV INFECTION? The amount of HIV in the blood gets very high within a few days or weeks after HIV […]

WHAT ARE OPPORTUNISTIC INFECTIONS? TESTING FOR OIs OIs AND AIDS WHAT ARE THE MOST COMMON OIs? PREVENTING OIs TREATING OIs WHAT ARE OPPORTUNISTIC INFECTIONS? In our bodies, we carry many germs – bacteria, protozoa, fungi, and viruses. When our immune system is working, it controls these germs. But when the immune system is weakened by […]

WHAT ARE CD4 CELLS? WHY ARE CD4 CELLS IMPORTANT IN HIV? WHAT FACTORS INFLUENCE A CD4 CELL COUNT? HOW ARE THE TEST RESULTS REPORTED? WHAT DO THE NUMBERS MEAN? WHAT ARE CD4 CELLS? CD4 cells are a type of lymphocyte (white blood cell). They are an important part of the immune system. CD4 cells are […]

WHAT IS HIV TESTING? HOW DO I GET TESTED? WHEN SHOULD I GET TESTED? DO ANY TESTS WORK SOONER AFTER INFECTION? WHAT DOES IT MEAN IF I TEST POSITIVE? CAN I KEEP THE TEST RESULTS CONFIDENTIAL? HOW ACCURATE ARE THE TESTS? THE BOTTOM LINE WHAT IS HIV TESTING? HIV testing tells you if you are […]

WHAT’S MY RISK OF GETTING INFECTED WITH HIV? THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES! WHAT DO THE NUMBERS MEAN? WHAT ACTIVITIES ARE MOST RISKY? WHAT ABOUT ORAL SEX? WHAT INCREASES THE RISK OF HIV INFECTION? THE BOTTOM LINE WHAT’S MY RISK OF GETTING INFECTED WITH HIV? Most people know how HIV is transmitted (see fact sheet 150). […]

HOW DOES DRUG USE RELATE TO HIV? INJECTION AND INFECTION NEEDLE EXCHANGE PROGRAMS DRUG USE AND UNSAFE SEX MEDICATIONS AND DRUGS THE BOTTOM LINE HOW DOES DRUG USE RELATE TO HIV? Drug use is a major factor in the spread of HIV infection. Shared equipment for using drugs can carry HIV and hepatitis, and drug […]

WHAT IS VIRAL LOAD? HOW IS THE TEST USED? HOW ARE CHANGES IN VIRAL LOAD MEASURED? VIRAL LOAD “BLIPS” WHAT DO THE NUMBERS MEAN? ARE THERE PROBLEMS WITH THE VIRAL LOAD TEST? WHAT IS VIRAL LOAD? The viral load test measures the amount of HIV virus in your blood. There are different techniques for doing […]

WHAT ARE CONDOMS? WHAT ARE THEY MADE OF? HOW ARE CONDOMS USED? Using a Male Condom Using a Female Condom NONOXYNOL-9 CONDOM MYTHS THE BOTTOM LINE WHAT ARE CONDOMS? A condom is a tube made of thin, flexible material. It is closed at one end. Condoms have been used for hundreds of years to prevent […]