HIV is a sexually transmitted infection that affects both men and women, and it’s estimated that between 400,000 and one million new diagnoses occur each year worldwide, notes Dr. Sergio Calderón Campas, infectious disease specialist at ABC Medical Center.
The Pan American Health Organization reports that around 2.5 million people are living with HIV in Latin America; in 2022, approximately 130,000 people acquired the virus, and around 33,000 people died from AIDS-related causes.
HIV transmission requires contact with certain bodily fluids, such as blood, vaginal fluids, semen, or pre-ejaculatory fluid, it’s not transmitted through saliva, urine, or sweat, which means everyday close contact poses no health risk to others.
When it comes to relationships, though, it’s important to understand what steps can help protect both partners.
Someone living with HIV who consistently takes their antiretroviral medication and attends regular checkups can reach what’s known as “undetectable” status. This means the virus is no longer actively replicating in their blood, resulting in a 0% risk of transmission.
In other words, once someone reaches undetectable status, they can’t transmit the virus to their partner.
If a partner living with HIV hasn’t yet reached undetectable status, whether due to inconsistent medication use or other factors, it’s very important to have regular blood tests to monitor the infection, check for other possible sexually transmitted infections, and, above all, use a condom during sexual activity.
These simple steps can allow for a healthy, safe relationship; that said, the ideal goal is for anyone diagnosed with HIV to receive proper treatment to reach undetectable status.
When it comes to relationships, another common question is about pregnancy. While the virus can be transmitted from mother to baby if left untreated, if the mother is undetectable, there’s no active viral replication, meaning the virus won’t be passed on to the baby, making for a safe pregnancy, notes Dr. Calderón.
It’s very important for anyone diagnosed with HIV to see a specialist in infectious disease, particularly one experienced with HIV, to receive proper treatment and lead a healthy, normal life.
On the other hand, for those who don’t have the virus, it’s important to get tested to know their HIV status, this allows for prompt treatment in the event of an infection, helping avoid it becoming a health risk to themselves or their sexual partners.
Dr. Calderón notes that between one and ten new HIV diagnoses are made daily, but unfortunately, for every diagnosed case, there are an estimated five more people living with HIV who don’t know it.
At ABC Medical Center’s Internal Medicine area, we can provide you with specialized care. Contact us!
