Up-to-date, reliable HIV and sexual-health knowledge.
HIV is a virus; AIDS is the late stage of that infection — they are not the same thing. This guide explains the difference simply, what CD4 and viral load mean, and why most people with HIV today never progress to AIDS.
Early HIV symptoms usually appear 2–4 weeks after exposure and look a lot like the flu — so they’re easily missed. Here are the common warning signs, how they differ in men and women, how to tell them apart from flu, and when to test for an accurate result.
Weight loss is a non-specific symptom of HIV with many possible causes, from changes in eating or activity to other health conditions to stress. Having weight loss doesn't mean HIV and can't be used to diagnose. This guide explains how weight loss relates to HIV, other causes, and why testing is the only way to know your status for certain.
Using or sharing a public toilet doesn't transmit HIV, because the virus isn't spread through toilets or surfaces, and the virus is fragile and can't survive outside the body. Everyday contact is therefore safe. This guide explains why toilets don't transmit HIV and what the actual transmission routes are, to ease worry with accurate information.
HIV testing can be done both walk-in, where you go in and get tested right away, and by appointment, where you book ahead. Both allow you to get tested, with booking ahead saving time and helping you plan, while walk-in is convenient when you want to test immediately. This guide explains the difference, the benefits of each, and how to choose which suits you.
Doxy-PEP means taking the antibiotic doxycycline after condomless sex to reduce the chance of acquiring bacterial sexually transmitted infections. The evidence is clearest for syphilis and chlamydia; results for gonorrhoea are inconsistent. And the point that matters most: Doxy-PEP offers no protection against HIV
A NAT (or PCR) test looks for the virus's genetic material directly, so it can detect HIV earlier than antibody testing - typically around 10 to 33 days after an exposure, compared with roughly 18 to 45 days for a lab antigen/antibody test. This guide explains how each method works, who each one suits, and why an early negative still needs repeat testing.
PEP is taken after a possible exposure and must begin within 72 hours; PrEP is taken in advance to prevent infection before exposure happens. They are not interchangeable. This guide explains when to move from PEP to PrEP, what testing comes first, and how to avoid leaving an unprotected gap in between.
U=U, or Undetectable = Untransmittable, means that when a person with HIV is treated with antiretrovirals to control the virus to an undetectable level, they don't transmit HIV sexually. However, undetectable doesn't mean cured, because the virus is still in the body and treatment must continue. This guide explains U=U in detail and the difference between undetectable and cured.
