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HIV Basics

HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV can only live within a human host and is most often transmitted between people through:

unprotected anal or vaginal sex
sharing injecting equipment
pregnancy and the process of childbirth (to infants from their mothers)
breast milk (to infants from their mothers)
oral sex (rarely)

HIV is passed between people by blood, semen, breast milk and vaginal fluids. It cannot be transmitted through the air or through sweat or saliva or by kissing, masturbation, insects or other animal bites, fæces or casual everyday contact such as sharing food, toothbrushes, clothes, linen or furniture etc.

Get the facts

HIV requires a human host cell to reproduce itself. The cell which HIV most commonly infects happens to be one of the most important cells in our immune system - the CD4 cell. Over time HIV infects and destroys so many of our CD4 cells that our immune system is no longer able to function normally. Infections that our immune system can normally control can take hold, sometimes causing AIDS - Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.

As a result of developments in drug treatments and health care, AIDS is now rarely seen in Australia. In fact, being HIV positive is no longer considered a terminal illness but rather a chronic manageable disease.

HIV has been present in humans for many years and was first reported in Australia in the early 1980’s. Australia adopted effective strategies against HIV during the early years of the epidemic.

For a history of HIV and AIDS in Australia, click here.

For information on how to avoid being infected with HIV and have safe sex, click here.