HIV spreads through blood, semen, vaginal fluids, and anal secretions. Among teens, sexual transmission is the most common route. Many still believe HIV always leads to severe illness, but modern treatment allows people with HIV to live long, healthy, normal lives. With the right medication, the virus level becomes so low it can’t be transmitted — known as U=U (undetectable = untransmittable).

Early symptoms often resemble the flu: fever, sore throat, fatigue, rash, and swollen lymph nodes. After that, HIV can enter a silent phase without symptoms. That’s why testing after unprotected sex is essential.

Treatment involves daily tablets that keep the virus under control. The earlier you start, the better the outcome.

Common early signs:

• Fever

• Rash

• Sore throat

• Fatigue and swollen lymph nodes

Alma’s tips:

Don’t be afraid to get tested. HIV is often discovered late because young people assume “it won’t happen to me.” Testing is free, safe, and fast. With treatment, you can’t pass the virus on and can live a full, unrestricted life. Condoms are the best protection against most sexually transmitted infections, but they cannot fully protect against infections spread through skin-to-skin contact such as HPV or herpes.