HIV—or human immunodeficiency virus—is a virus spread through certain body fluids. Most people who get HIV get it through anal or vaginal sex or through sharing needles or syringes. HIV weakens a person’s immune system by destroying important cells that fight disease and infection. There is no cure for HIV. However, you can control HIV with proper medical care. HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a medicine that significantly lowers your risk of HIV infection. When taken as prescribed, PrEP is highly effective for preventing HIV.
Message for Communicators
HIV PrEP
- Consider taking HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a medicine you can take to prevent HIV infection. PrEP significantly lowers your risk of HIV infection when taken as prescribed.
- Currently, only oral PrEP is widely available in the MHS. Use of injectable PrEP is limited.
- Take HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) after a recent possible exposure to HIV. PEP should be used only in emergency situations and must be started within 72 hours of your exposure to HIV.
- PrEP is highly effective for preventing HIV.
- PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by about 99% when taken as prescribed.
- Although there is less information about how effective PrEP pills are among people who inject drugs, we know that PrEP pills reduce the risk of getting HIV by at least 74% when taken as prescribed. Currently, PrEP shots aren't recommended for people who inject drugs.
- PrEP is less effective when not taken as prescribed.
- PrEP is an important tool in combatting HIV along with safe sex practices.
- Everyone who is sexually active may be at risk for HIV infection; however, some populations are disproportionally impacted, including: gay and bisexual men, particularly Black and Latino men; Black women; and transgender women.
- PrEP use doesn't encourage risky behavior and is indicative of a proactive approach to one's health.
- All sexually active adult patients should receive information about PrEP.
- Use of PrEP shouldn't be construed as having HIV.
- PrEP use shouldn't impact an individual’s medical readiness status, as PrEP can be discontinued prior to deployment.
- Find out if HIV PrEP is right for you by visiting https://www.cdc.gov/hiv/basics/prep/prep-decision.html
HIV Prevention
- Get tested for sexually transmitted infections, as they increase your risk of getting HIV.
- HIV can be transmitted through anal or vaginal sexual contact, by sharing needles (to inject drugs), and from the mother to a baby during pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding.
- Abstinence (not having sex of any kind), is the only way to prevent the spread of HIV 100%. Other effective ways to reduce the risk include:
- Limiting your number of sexual partners.
- Use condoms correctly every time you have sex.
- Never share needles.
- HIV does not survive long outside the human body (such as on surfaces), and it can't reproduce outside a human host. It's not transmitted:
- By mosquitoes, ticks, or other insects.
- Through saliva, tears, or sweat.
- By hugging, shaking hands, sharing toilets, sharing dishes, or closed mouth or "social" kissing with someone who has HIV.
- Through other sexual activities that don't involve the exchange of body fluids (for example, touching).
- Through air.
- The only way to know for sure whether you have HIV is to get tested. CDC recommends that everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 get tested for HIV at least once as part of routine health care.
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Last Updated: May 22, 2023