About 39 million people worldwide are living with HIV. With access to antiretroviral therapy, the median life expectancy after an HIV diagnosis today is within a few years of the general population — and AIDS-related deaths have dropped 69% since 2004.
This page is the home of our HIV coverage. Below you will find our complete library of articles organized by what you might actually be looking for: understanding HIV, getting tested, choosing prevention (PrEP, condoms), starting treatment, following the cure pipeline, and reading the lived experience of people who walked through diagnosis and out the other side.
Every clinical article linked below is medically reviewed. Every personal story is clearly labeled.
Understanding HIV
Start here for a clear overview of what HIV is, how it differs from AIDS, current life expectancy with treatment, and what an HIV diagnosis means in 2026.
Testing and diagnosis
How HIV tests work, when to get tested after a possible exposure, and what to expect from rapid, antibody, and PCR testing.
Prevention — PrEP, condoms, and beyond
Pre-exposure prophylaxis, post-exposure prophylaxis, condom effectiveness, and the prevention breakthroughs reshaping HIV risk.
Cure research and breakthroughs
No HIV cure exists today, but the pipeline has never been more promising. Gene therapy, CAR-T, broadly neutralizing antibodies, immune-control trials — the science worth watching.
Living with HIV — personal stories
The longer-term reality of life on antiretrovirals, disclosure, dating, parenting, and breaking stigma. Told by people who are living it.
- Finding strength after an HIV diagnosis
- HIV doesn't define me
- Life with HIV: breaking stigma
- Living, loving, thriving after HIV
- Surviving HIV: 35 years of journey
- Yes I have HIV, and yes I'm having a baby
- HIV positive ≠ dangerous
- An HIV diagnosis as a woman: stigma and journey
- How HIV changed my life forever
- Safe sex and HIV stigma in Turkey
In-depth HIV guides
All guides →U=U Explained — undetectable equals untransmittable
The science, studies, and what U=U actually does and does not cover.
PrEP vs PEP — HIV prevention compared
Daily prevention vs 72-hour emergency intervention. Both, explained.
HIV life expectancy in 2026 — what the data shows
Near-normal lifespan with modern care. Honest numbers.
Acute HIV symptoms — first weeks
What the seroconversion illness actually feels like.
HIV test types compared — rapid, lab, at-home
4th gen vs rapid vs OraQuick vs RNA — which test to use when.
HIV PEP eligibility — when you qualify
Who qualifies, where to go, what to bring. 72-hour window.
Long-acting injectable PrEP
Apretude every 2 months, Lenacapavir every 6 months. No more daily pills.
PrEP side effects — what to actually expect
Truvada, Descovy, Apretude, Lenacapavir — honest comparison.
Can HIV be transmitted through saliva?
No. Here is the science behind the myth and what actually transmits HIV.
Sex after an HIV diagnosis — what actually changes
U=U, disclosure, partners, kids — the practical post-diagnosis playbook.
HIV cure 2026 — trials update
bnAbs, CRISPR, latency reversal, gene therapy — what is actually promising.
HIV in older adults (50+)
Half of US PLWH are 50+. Late diagnosis common. Why screening matters.
HIV viral load and CD4 — what the numbers mean
Two essential HIV labs explained. Targets, frequency, what to ask about.
HIV criminalization laws — disclosure and legal risk
HIV-specific criminal laws in 30+ states. What disclosure requires.
HIV vaccine pipeline — what is actually coming
mRNA, bnAb induction, past failures. Honest 2026 update.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between HIV and AIDS?+
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is the virus. AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is the late-stage condition that develops if HIV is left untreated for years. With modern antiretroviral therapy, the vast majority of people living with HIV never progress to AIDS.
What does U=U mean?+
U=U stands for Undetectable equals Untransmittable. People living with HIV who take antiretroviral therapy as prescribed and maintain an undetectable viral load (below the limit a lab can measure) cannot transmit HIV sexually. This is established medical consensus, backed by the PARTNER and HPTN-052 studies.
How long can you live with HIV?+
In high-income countries, a person diagnosed with HIV today and started on antiretroviral therapy has a near-normal life expectancy — within a few years of the general population average. Outcomes improve dramatically with early diagnosis and consistent treatment.
What is PrEP?+
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a medication regimen — typically Truvada, Descovy, or the long-acting injectable Apretude — taken by HIV-negative people to prevent infection. Daily oral PrEP is approximately 99% effective against sexual transmission when taken consistently.
How is HIV transmitted?+
HIV is transmitted through specific body fluids: blood, semen, pre-seminal fluid, rectal fluid, vaginal fluid, and breast milk. The most common routes are unprotected sex and shared injection equipment. HIV is not transmitted through saliva, sweat, tears, sharing toilets, or casual contact.
When should I get tested for HIV?+
The CDC recommends everyone aged 13-64 get tested at least once. People with higher exposure should test annually or every 3-6 months. After a possible exposure, fourth-generation tests can detect HIV as early as 18-45 days; PCR tests detect earlier.
Is there a cure for HIV?+
No general cure exists yet, but research is advancing rapidly. A small number of patients have been functionally cured via stem cell transplants. Active cure-directed trials include CRISPR gene therapy (EBT-101), CAR-T cell therapy, broadly neutralizing antibodies, and immune-priming approaches like A5374.
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