HIV/AIDS specialist

An HIV specialist diagnoses HIV through testing, initiates and monitors antiretroviral therapy (ART), tracks viral load and CD4 cell counts, manages drug interactions, treats opportunistic infections, and provides counseling on adherence, prevention, and overall health maintenance.

Get tested if you have had unprotected sex, shared needles, been exposed to blood-borne pathogens, have a partner who is HIV-positive, or if you experience symptoms like prolonged fever, unexplained weight loss, swollen lymph nodes, or recurrent infections. Annual testing is recommended for those at higher risk.

Current treatment involves daily antiretroviral therapy (ART) using a combination of medications that suppress viral replication. When taken consistently, ART can reduce viral load to undetectable levels, allowing individuals to live long and healthy lives and preventing transmission.

When a person living with HIV achieves and maintains an undetectable viral load through consistent ART, the risk of transmitting HIV through sexual contact is effectively zero. This is known as U=U (Undetectable equals Untransmittable).

PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) is a daily medication taken by HIV-negative individuals at high risk of exposure to prevent infection. It is recommended for people with an HIV-positive partner, those who do not consistently use condoms, or people who share injection equipment.