HIV is a virus that can multiply quickly in your body and damage your immune system. Your immune system is what allows your body to fight off infections and cancers. Without treatment, HIV can make your immune system very weak. When it is weakened, you will have a hard time staying well.

Even though we do not yet have a cure for HIV, there are many different drugs that can shut down the HIV virus, greatly slow down the damage it does, and allow the immune system to recover. Effective treatment allows most people to live long and healthy lives, and essentially prevents transmission of HIV to sex partners.

It is important to talk through treatment decisions with your provider.

This lesson provides information on:

• Starting therapy
• What drugs to take
• Whether to continue therapy