Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) attacks cells that help the body fight infection, making a person more vulnerable to other infections and diseases. It is spread through contact with the bodily fluids of an HIV-positive person, such as through sex or sharing injection drug equipment. If left untreated, HIV can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), the late stage of HIV infection that occurs when the body’s immune system is badly damaged because of the virus. There is no effective cure for HIV, but with proper medical care, it can be controlled.​
Treatment, Management and Prevention
HIV Testing and Diagnostics
Editors in Conversation: Avoiding HIV False Positives
Article: Unique Challenges, Unique Solutions: Tackling HIV Testing
Reducing HIV/AIDS is a challenge across the globe. Understanding that barriers are as unique as the locations and people of the world is key.
Lesson Plan: Interpretation of ELISA and Western Blot Assays for HIV Infection Status
Working in pairs, students use an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to screen sera for antibodies to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Guideline: Limitations for the Use of HIV-1 Western Blot in Plasma/Serum
º£½ÇÉçÇøappand the Association of Public Health Laboratories drafted a document that addresses the limitations of the CDC laboratory algorithm for the diagnosis of HIV, published in June 2014.
HIV Discovery and Early Research
Progress Toward 90-90-90 UNAIDS Goals
In 2016, the United Nations General Assembly committed to ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic by 2030 using benchmarks meant to galvanize action in closing gaps in HIV testing, the number of patients receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) and the number of patients maintaining viral suppression. , set ambitious interim goals to be reached by 2020: 90% of HIV infected individuals should know their HIV+ status, 90% of those who know their status should be receiving ART treatment and 90% of those in treatment should have low enough viral loads to be considered virally suppressed.
Since the establishment of these goals, remarkable, but highly unequal, progress has been made, most notably in the expansion of access to antiretroviral therapy. However, because the achievements have not been shared equally within and between countries, the global HIV targets set for 2020 were not reached, according to UNAIDS report.
In June 2021, adopted a new . The declaration was based on evidence, grounded in human rights, included and will serve as an important road map to advance the global HIV response over the next 5 years.
In July 2022, UNAIDS released a " which reported that ​progress in prevention and treatment is faltering around the world, putting millions of people in grave danger. The report stated that disruptions over the past few years (e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine war) in addition to inequalities and discrimination, stigmatization and criminalization of key populations, has threatened progress toward meeting the new goals that were established in 2021.
But there is hope. According to the , fewer people acquired HIV in 2022 than at any point since the late 1980s. The report highlighted that creating a successful HIV response depends on forming partnerships between countries and communities, providing accessible HIV prevention and treatment services, removing societal and structural inequalities to HIV-related services and building and maintaining strong political commitment, among other factors. The latest update suggests that while some countries are already on the right path, others are falling behind. Continued global vigilance is critical, as the decisions and actions taken now will determine if 2030 will, in fact, mark the end of AIDS as a public health threat.