SELECTED IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Some people who have taken medicine like ATRIPLA have developed
the following:
  • A serious condition called lactic acidosis (buildup of an acid in the blood)
  • Serious liver problems called hepatotoxicity
  • A "flare-up" of hepatitis. If you have HIV-1 and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and you stop taking ATRIPLA, you may get a "flare-up" (a sudden worsening) of your hepatitis
Please click here for additional Important Safety Information, including Boxed WARNINGS.
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Important Safety Information

Frequently Asked Questions about HIV

What is HIV?
What is AIDS?
How long does it take for AIDS to develop?
What are some of the most common symptoms of HIV?
Where can I get tested for HIV?
How can I get HIV?
Can I get HIV from casual contact like hugging and shaking hands?
What is the connection between HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases?
Can I get HIV from body piercing or getting a tattoo?
Can I get HIV from mosquitoes?
How safe is the blood supply in the United States?
What are T-cells? Why are T-cells important in HIV?
What is a viral load test?
What is HAART?
When should I start HIV treatment?

What is HIV?

HIV
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is the virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). The most common ways HIV can spread:
  • Contact with HIV-infected blood (for example, sharing drug needles or syringes)
  • Sexual contact with people who are infected with HIV
  • Mothers who have HIV can pass the virus to their babies during pregnancy, birth or breastfeeding after birth
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What is AIDS?

AIDS
AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) is caused by HIV and refers to the advanced stage of HIV infection. If you develop an AIDS-related illness, it's called an opportunistic infection. You are then diagnosed with AIDS. If you have HIV, but don't have an illness associated with AIDS, you can still be diagnosed with AIDS based on blood test results (CD4+ or T-cell count < 200 cells/mm3).

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How long does it take for AIDS to develop?

There is no set time when HIV becomes AIDS. Before antiretroviral treatment became available in 1996, it was estimated that about half of all people with HIV would develop AIDS within 10 years. Now, there are HIV treatments that may help prevent opportunistic infections, which are illnesses associated with AIDS. It's important to talk to your doctor about your treatment options for HIV.

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What are some of the most common symptoms of HIV?

Many people with HIV have no symptoms for years. You must be tested to know if you have HIV for sure.

Possible symptoms of HIV may include:
  • Feeling tired all the time
  • Frequent fevers
  • Diarrhea that lasts for more than a week
  • Swollen glands in your neck, armpits or groin
  • Sweating a lot at night
  • Rapid weight loss without dieting
  • White spots or unusual blemishes on the tongue, in the mouth or in the throat
  • Persistent skin rashes or flaky skin
  • Memory loss, depression and other neurological disorders
  • Persistent or frequent yeast infections (oral or vaginal)
The symptoms of HIV are similar to the symptoms of many other illnesses. If you have any of these symptoms, see your doctor immediately.

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Where can I get tested for HIV?

Many places provide testing for HIV, such as doctor's offices, local health departments, hospitals or locations set up specifically for HIV testing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention information line (1-800-232-4636) or the National HIV and STD Testing Resources Web site (www.hivtest.org) can answer questions about testing and refer you to places near you for testing.

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How can I get HIV?

The most common ways that HIV is passed from one person to another are:
  • Through sexual intercourse (vaginal, anal or oral) with a person who has HIV
  • By sharing drug needles or syringes with someone who has HIV
  • Mothers who have HIV can pass the virus to their babies during pregnancy, birth or breastfeeding after birth
  • HIV can enter through the vagina, penis, mouth, mucous membranes like the eyes, the anus or rectum, a vein (injection/intravenous drug use), or cuts and sores. The virus is found in blood, vaginal fluid, semen, and breast milk
  • Through transfusion of HIV-infected blood or blood components (e.g., plasma, platelets, etc.). However, all donated blood in the United States has been tested for HIV since 1985 and the chances of infection in this way are extremely rare
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Can I get HIV from casual contact like hugging and shaking hands?

No. HIV is not transmitted through day-to-day contact in the workplace, schools or social settings. HIV is not spread through casual contact such as shaking hands, hugging or casual kissing. Also, you can’t get HIV from drinking fountains, doorknobs, drinking glasses, dishes, toilet seats or food.

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What is the connection between HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases?

STDs
Having a sexually transmitted disease (STD) like herpes, gonorrhea, syphilis or chlamydia can increase a person's risk of becoming infected with HIV, even if the STD does not cause breaks or open sores on the skin. Having an STD can make you more likely to get HIV during sexual contact with someone who has HIV. Also, if someone has HIV and another STD, they are more likely to transmit HIV through sexual contact than someone who just has HIV alone.

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Can I get HIV from body piercing or getting a tattoo?

You can get HIV from body piercing or getting a tattoo if the tools have infected blood on them and have not been sterilized or disinfected. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends thorough cleaning and sterilization of tools that penetrate skin, including those used during body piercing and tattooing. Or, they should be used once and thrown away. If you are thinking about getting a tattoo or a body piercing, be sure to ask the staff about what they do to prevent spreading HIV.

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Can I get HIV from mosquitoes?

No. It is no longer believed that you can get HIV from biting and bloodsucking insects like mosquitoes. Studies have shown no evidence that you can get HIV from mosquitoes or any other insects. Even in areas with many AIDS cases and many mosquitoes, no cases of people getting HIV from insects have been shown. When an insect bites you, it injects its own saliva and not its own blood or blood from another person. Even if a mosquito bites someone who has the virus, the insect doesn't get HIV and cannot transmit HIV to the next human it bites.

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How safe is the blood supply in the United States?

According to the CDC, the blood supply in the United States is one of the world's safest. Almost every person who got HIV from a blood transfusion got it before 1985 when HIV testing of donated blood began. All donated blood has been screened for HIV-1 since March 1985 and for HIV-2 since June 1992. Blood and blood products that test positive for HIV are not used for transfusions. The chance of HIV infection through a blood transfusion is very low in the United States.

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What are T-cells? Why are T-cells important in HIV?

T-cells, or CD4+ cells, are a kind of white blood cell — and are an important part of the immune system. When HIV infects the body, it attacks these cells, reducing their count as the virus multiplies. Fewer T-cells means a weakened immune system. A person is more likely to get sick with a low T-cell count. HIV therapy can help raise your T-cell count by keeping the virus in check. This allows the T-cells to recover and defend the body against infections.

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What is a viral load test?

A viral load test measures how much HIV is in a sample of your blood. Two important tests are:
  • HIV RNA amplication (RT-PCR) test and
  • Branched chain DNA (bDNA) test
Results from viral load tests are usually reported as copies of HIV per milliliter of blood.

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What is HAART?

HAART stands for Highly Active AntiRetroviral Therapy. It is a combination HIV therapy that contains at least three drugs from at least two classes. For example:
  • NRTI (nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor) or "nuke"
  • NNRTI (non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor) or "non-nuke"
  • PI (protease inhibitor)
  • INSTI (integrase strand transfer inhibitor)
HAART combinations are effective because they slow HIV from multiplying at different stages in the process.

HIV medicines help reduce the amount of HIV in the blood. The amount of HIV in the blood is called your viral load. Your doctor will prescribe HIV meds that help get your viral load as low as possible. This is one of the goals of HIV therapy — keeping HIV under control so that your viral load remains low.

In some cases, your viral load can become so low that the viral load test cannot find HIV in the blood. Doctors call this an undetectable viral load. This is a good sign because it shows that your treatment is working. But remember, a low viral load does not mean that you are cured. The virus still exists at very low levels in your body, and you can still pass HIV on to others.

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When should I start HIV treatment?

Talk to your healthcare provider about when to start HIV treatment. You and your healthcare provider can decide when you should begin taking medications to treat your HIV.

Starting medication can be an important step in beginning to manage your HIV. Some of the things that are considered when deciding to start treatment are T-cell count, viral load, and your readiness to begin treatment.

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) recommendations now include starting HIV medicines at a CD4 count of 500 cells/mm3 or less, among other criteria.

On December 1, 2009, the DHHS updated its guidelines for starting HIV medicines.
  • If your CD4 count is 350 cells/mm3 or less, you should start HIV medicines
  • If your CD4 count is between 350-500 cells/mm3, it is recommended that you start HIV medicines
  • If your CD4 count is 500 cells/mm3 or more, starting HIV medicines is favored or optional. Talk with your healthcare provider
Ask your healthcare provider about this new information and if it's time for you to start HIV medicines.

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ATRIPLA does not cure HIV-1 and has not been shown to prevent passing HIV-1 to others.

Ask your doctor if ATRIPLA is right for you, and see your healthcare provider regularly. Individual results may vary.

Please click here for Important Safety Information, including information on lactic acidosis, serious liver problems, and flare-ups of hepatitis B virus (HBV).

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