What does is mean to be HIV positive?

plannedparenthood:

When someone is HIV positive, it means they have Human Immunodeficiency Virus — aka HIV. HIV is a virus that damages your immune system (your body’s defense against diseases, which helps you stay healthy).

Over time, HIV destroys an important kind of cell in your immune system (called CD4 cells or T cells) that helps protect you from infections. When you don’t have enough of these CD4 cells, it’s easier to get really sick and even die from infections that your body could normally fight off.

AIDS — Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome — is caused by the damage that HIV does to your immune system. You have AIDS when you get rare, dangerous infections or have a super low number of CD4 cells. AIDS is the most serious stage of HIV, and it leads to death over time. Without treatment, it usually takes about 10 years for someone with HIV to develop AIDS. Treatment slows down the damage the virus causes, and can help people stay healthy for decades.

If you’re living with HIV, have open and honest conversations with potential partners about your status and how you can all stay healthy. You can even invite them to join you on a doctor’s visit to get more information.

If you’re HIV-negative and a potential partner tells you they’re HIV positive, remember that HIV-positive and HIV-negative people have sexual relationships all the time, and do it safely. So listen to the person you like who’s talking to you about their health and life, and learn the facts. Ask a nurse or doctor about prevention options, like condoms and PrEP. You could even ask to go with your partner to a doctor’s visit.

If you don’t know your HIV status or have never been tested, go talk with a doctor or nurse, like the staff at your local Planned Parenthood, about HIV testing!

-Philip and Kendall at Planned Parenthood