HIV/AIDS

HIV is the short form for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV can only be passed from one human to another. It is a virus that attacks and weakens the immune system by destroying CD4 cells. CD4 cells are the cells that help the body fight off infections. With proper treatment and care, people with HIV can live long and healthy lives.

If HIV is not treated, it can progress to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). People are diagnosed with AIDS when the number of CD4 cells is so low that they become sick with infections or cancers that are linked to low immune function. These infections do not usually affect people with healthy immune systems.

Most people with HIV do not show symptoms for several years after infection. This means that they may not know that they have been infected. Even if no symptoms are present, the virus can still be passed to other people. Testing is the only way to know for sure if someone is living with HIV. Testing and treatment are important for preventing long-term harm.

Transmission

HIV can be transmitted through the following bodily fluids:

Blood
Semen
Pre-cum
Vaginal fluid
Anal fluid
Breast milk

HIV can only be passed when one of these fluids from a person living with HIV gets into the bloodstream of another person. Common activities involved in transmission include unprotected vaginal and anal sex, sharing needles and other substance-use equipment, and tattooing with used needles. This is called horizontal transmission.

HIV can also be passed from a mother to a baby during pregnancy and during delivery. HIV may also be passed from a mother to a baby if the baby is breastfed. This is called vertical transmission. For more information, click here.

HIV cannot be transmitted in the following ways:

Hugging or holding hands
Sharing food or drink
Public washrooms
Swimming in public pools
Sweat, saliva, or tears

Prevention

People with HIV often have no symptoms. People who are sexually active should be tested for HIV every year, as should their sexual partners. People who are unaware of their and/or their partner’s HIV status can do the following to avoid becoming infected with HIV.

Choose not to have sex.
Avoid sharing needles and other substance-use equipment.
Discuss lower-risk and safer options to have sex.
Use a condom properly from start to finish.
Ensure that those using needles (e.g., tattoo artists and acupuncturists) are using new needles.
Take PrEP or PEP, depending on their circumstances.*

* People who are at high risk of getting HIV can reduce their risk by taking PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis). This includes people who have condomless sexual activity, exchange sex for drugs or money, share substance use equipment, and/or have a diagnosis of a sexually transmitted infection. PrEP is taken once a day, on an ongoing basis. All family doctors can provide information about and prescribe PrEP. For more information, visit www.skhiv.ca/sex/#PrEP.

If a person has been exposed to HIV, they can take PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) to help prevent infection. PEP needs to be taken within three days of being exposed to HIV, and involves medication taken once daily for four weeks. For more information about PrEP and PEP, visit www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/hiv-factsheet-biomedical-prevention-prep-pep.html.

Testing

A blood sample needs to be taken to test for HIV. Tests for HIV detect whether HIV antibodies are present in a person’s body. Antibodies are proteins in the body that try to destroy unknown bacteria or viruses. Antibodies are produced by the immune system in response to the HIV infection being present in a person’s body.

Antibodies can take time to develop. For most people, HIV antibodies take three months to develop. This means that people can have the virus in their bodies and still get a negative test result if they are tested within three months after being infected. For this reason, it is important for people involved in activities that may expose them to the HIV virus to have repeat testing. For more information on testing, visit: HIV Testing, Treatment and Support

Treatment

There is no cure for HIV. Once people contract HIV, they will have the virus for the rest of their lives. There are medications available to stop the damage that HIV does to the immune system and to prevent HIV being passed to other people. The medication used to treat and control HIV is called combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). Treatment can lower the amount of HIV in the blood and other bodily fluids to undetectable levels. This is called viral suppression and means that the virus is not at a significant enough level to cause disease progression, which is good for maintaining the immune system and overall health. Having an undetectable viral load also makes it extremely difficult for HIV to be passed to others during sexual activity.

HIV treatment is now recommended for all people living with HIV, regardless of when they found out about their HIV status. It is recommended that treatment begin as soon as possible to lower viral loads (amount of virus present in blood).

External Links

AIDS Programs South Saskatchewan
is a community based, not for profit organization that helps women, men, and children living with HIV/AIDS in Regina and Southern Saskatchewan.
Prairie Harm Reduction
Prairie Harm Reduction operates Saskatchewan’s first safe consumption site in West Saskatoon. They provide harm reduction services, outreach, education, advocacy, and support for people at-risk and affected by HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV).
All Nations Hope Network
is a network of Aboriginal people, organizations and agencies, who to provide support and services to First Nations, Métis and Inuit families and communities who are experiencing HIV, AIDS and Hepatitis C.
Canadian AIDS Society
is a national coalition of over 120 Canadian community-based organizations helping people living with or affected by HIV.
Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange (CATIE)
is a national knowledge exchange broker for information related to HIV prevention and treatment, care and support for people living with and vulnerable to HIV.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) provides leadership in helping control the HIV/AIDS epidemic by working with partners in surveillance, research, and prevention and evaluation activities.
Sage
is a community-driven space for organizations and other HIV and hepatitis C service providers in Canada to share and archive their digital information resources and connect with peers in the field.
SK HIV Collaborative
An online tool for accessing current HIV/AIDS related information and resources for Saskatchewan.

HIV/AIDS

HIV is the short form for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV can only be passed from one human to another. It is a virus that attacks and weakens the immune system by destroying CD4 cells. CD4 cells are the cells that help the body fight off infections. With proper treatment and care, people with HIV can live long and healthy lives.

If HIV is not treated, it can progress to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). People are diagnosed with AIDS when the number of CD4 cells is so low that they become sick with infections or cancers that are linked to low immune function. These infections do not usually affect people with healthy immune systems.

Most people with HIV do not show symptoms for several years after infection. This means that they may not know that they have been infected. Even if no symptoms are present, the virus can still be passed to other people. Testing is the only way to know for sure if someone is living with HIV. Testing and treatment are important for preventing long-term harm.

Transmission

HIV can be transmitted through the following bodily fluids:

Blood
Semen
Pre-cum
Vaginal fluid
Anal fluid
Breast milk

HIV can only be passed when one of these fluids from a person living with HIV gets into the bloodstream of another person. Common activities involved in transmission include unprotected vaginal and anal sex, sharing needles and other substance-use equipment, and tattooing with used needles. This is called horizontal transmission.

HIV can also be passed from a mother to a baby during pregnancy and during delivery. HIV may also be passed from a mother to a baby if the baby is breastfed. This is called vertical transmission. For more information, click here.

HIV cannot be transmitted in the following ways:

Hugging or holding hands
Sharing food or drink
Public washrooms
Swimming in public pools
Sweat, saliva, or tears

Prevention

People with HIV often have no symptoms. People who are sexually active should be tested for HIV every year, as should their sexual partners. People who are unaware of their and/or their partner’s HIV status can do the following to avoid becoming infected with HIV.

Choose not to have sex.
Avoid sharing needles and other substance-use equipment.
Discuss lower-risk and safer options to have sex.
Use a condom properly from start to finish.
Ensure that those using needles (e.g., tattoo artists and acupuncturists) are using new needles.
Take PrEP or PEP, depending on their circumstances.*

* People who are at high risk of getting HIV can reduce their risk by taking PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis). This includes people who have condomless sexual activity, exchange sex for drugs or money, share substance use equipment, and/or have a diagnosis of a sexually transmitted infection. PrEP is taken once a day, on an ongoing basis. All family doctors can provide information about and prescribe PrEP. For more information, visit www.skhiv.ca/sex/#PrEP.

If a person has been exposed to HIV, they can take PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) to help prevent infection. PEP needs to be taken within three days of being exposed to HIV, and involves medication taken once daily for four weeks. For more information about PrEP and PEP, visit www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/hiv-factsheet-biomedical-prevention-prep-pep.html.

Testing

A blood sample needs to be taken to test for HIV. Tests for HIV detect whether HIV antibodies are present in a person’s body. Antibodies are proteins in the body that try to destroy unknown bacteria or viruses. Antibodies are produced by the immune system in response to the HIV infection being present in a person’s body.

Antibodies can take time to develop. For most people, HIV antibodies take three months to develop. This means that people can have the virus in their bodies and still get a negative test result if they are tested within three months after being infected. For this reason, it is important for people involved in activities that may expose them to the HIV virus to have repeat testing. For more information on testing, visit: HIV Testing, Treatment and Support

Treatment

There is no cure for HIV. Once people contract HIV, they will have the virus for the rest of their lives. There are medications available to stop the damage that HIV does to the immune system and to prevent HIV being passed to other people. The medication used to treat and control HIV is called combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). Treatment can lower the amount of HIV in the blood and other bodily fluids to undetectable levels. This is called viral suppression and means that the virus is not at a significant enough level to cause disease progression, which is good for maintaining the immune system and overall health. Having an undetectable viral load also makes it extremely difficult for HIV to be passed to others during sexual activity.

HIV treatment is now recommended for all people living with HIV, regardless of when they found out about their HIV status. It is recommended that treatment begin as soon as possible to lower viral loads (amount of virus present in blood).

External Links

AIDS Programs South Saskatchewan
is a community based, not for profit organization that helps women, men, and children living with HIV/AIDS in Regina and Southern Saskatchewan.
Prairie Harm Reduction
Prairie Harm Reduction operates Saskatchewan’s first safe consumption site in West Saskatoon. They provide harm reduction services, outreach, education, advocacy, and support for people at-risk and affected by HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV).
All Nations Hope Network
is a network of Aboriginal people, organizations and agencies, who to provide support and services to First Nations, Métis and Inuit families and communities who are experiencing HIV, AIDS and Hepatitis C.
Canadian AIDS Society
is a national coalition of over 120 Canadian community-based organizations helping people living with or affected by HIV.
Canadian AIDS Treatment Information Exchange (CATIE)
is a national knowledge exchange broker for information related to HIV prevention and treatment, care and support for people living with and vulnerable to HIV.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(CDC) provides leadership in helping control the HIV/AIDS epidemic by working with partners in surveillance, research, and prevention and evaluation activities.
Sage
is a community-driven space for organizations and other HIV and hepatitis C service providers in Canada to share and archive their digital information resources and connect with peers in the field.
SK HIV Collaborative
An online tool for accessing current HIV/AIDS related information and resources for Saskatchewan.

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HIV/AIDS

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External Links

HIV/AIDS

Transmission

Prevention

Testing

Treatment

External Links