Basic HIV Information
HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It is a virus that damages the cells in a person’s immune system and weakens the body’s ability to fight everyday infections and disease.
AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. It is the name given to describe potentially life-threatening infections and illnesses that happen when a person’s immune system has been severely damaged by HIV.
HIV is found in the bodily fluids of an infected person, notably semen, vaginal and anal fluids, blood and breast milk.
The most common way of getting HIV is through having unprotected anal or vaginal sex. Other ways of getting HIV include sharing needles or syringes and from mother to baby during pregnancy, birth or breastfeeding.
HIV cannot be transmitted through sweat, urine or saliva and you cannot get HIV from kissing, hugging, sharing food or drinking utensils, toilet seats or insect bites.
There is currently no cure for HIV but there are very effective drug treatments for HIV known as ART (Anti-Retroviral Therapy). ART involves taking daily medications and it works by reducing and then keeping the virus to an amount that is so small it cannot be quantified. This is called having an undetectable viral load and it keeps HIV at bay, meaning people living with HIV can now live long and healthy lives.
Another benefit of being on effective treatment is that a person cannot transmit HIV to another person. This is because when a person has an undetectable viral load the amount of virus is so tiny it cannot be passed on. This is known as U=U, meaning Undetectable equals Untransmittable.
Who Is Affected by HIV
HIV can affect anyone, regardless of age, sexuality, ethnicity, or gender. It is shaped more by social and structural factors such as access to healthcare, stigma, and awareness than by personal choices or identity.
In the UK, around half of people living with diagnosed HIV are heterosexual and just under half are gay or bisexual men, according to the UK Health Security Agency’s 2025 data release (covering 2024).
- About 46,800 heterosexual people and 40,800 gay and bisexual men were accessing HIV care in 2024.
- Viral suppression rates - meaning the virus is undetectable and untransmittable - were equally high at 98% across both groups.
HIV continues to disproportionately affect some communities because of health inequalities:
- Black African heterosexual men and women are among the most affected, reflecting persistent inequalities in access to prevention, testing, and care
- Ethnic minority gay and bisexual men also experience higher rates of new diagnoses compared with white gay and bisexual men.
- Trans and gender diverse people and people who inject drugs represent smaller but important groups who can face additional barriers to prevention and care.