An official website of the United States government
Here’s how you know
Official websites use .gov A
.gov website belongs to an official government
organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A
lock (
) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to
the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official,
secure websites.
Because of a lapse in government funding, the information on this website may not be up to date, transactions submitted via the website may not be processed, and the agency may not be able to respond to inquiries until appropriations are enacted. The NIH Clinical Center (the research hospital of NIH) is open. For more details about its operating status, please visit cc.nih.gov. Updates regarding government operating status and resumption of normal operations can be found at opm.gov.
Opportunistic infections (OIs) are infections that occur more often or are more severe in people with weakened immune systems, such as people with HIV, than in people with healthy immune systems.
Since HIV medicines prevent HIV from damaging the immune system, the best protection against OIs for people with HIV is to take thei
In people with HIV, good nutrition helps to maintain the immune system, maintain a healthy weight, aid in the absorption of HIV medicines, and support overall health and well-being.
Food and water can be contaminated with germs that cause illnesses (called foodborne illnesses), which can be more serious for people with HIV due to a weakened immune system.
Resources are available that can help people with HIV find a health care provider, pay for medicines, and get help with HIV-related mental health issues.
The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program is a federal program designed to help people with HIV get the medical care and other support services they need.
Substance use refers to the use of drugs and alcohol and includes the misuse of prescription drugs or over-the-counter medicines.
Substance use can lead to less safe behaviors (such as condomless sex or sharing needles) that increase the likelihood of getting HIV or passing it on to others.
Substance use can harm the health of a person with HIV by weakening the immune system, damaging the liver, disrupting an
Perinatal transmission: HIV can pass from a mother with HIV to their child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding, called perinatal transmission of HIV. In the United States, this is the most common way children under 13 years of age get HIV.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), of the nearly 1.1 million people living with diagnosed HIV in the United States and dependent areas in 2022, about 42% were aged 55 and older.
Many HIV risk factors are the same for people of any age, but older people are less likely to get tested for HIV.
