This Saturday, June 27th is National HIV Testing Day to encourage people to get tested for HIV, know their status, and get linked to care and treatment. The Cabell-Huntington Health Department encourages anyone at risk for HIV to get tested and if you have a new...
Confidential HIV Testing & Counseling
Cabell-Huntington Health Department clinic staff have been busy working many of the public health aspects of case investigation during COVID-19. As we continue to offer clinical services with a reduced number of staff, we have modified our schedule as follows. We...
Living With HIV
If you’ve been diagnosed with HIV, it means that you were exposed to the virus and a test has shown that you are now living with HIV in your body. Unlike some other viruses, the human body can’t get rid of HIV completely, even with treatment. So once you have HIV, you have it for life.
Newly Diagnosed with HIV
It is important that you start medical care and take medicine to treat HIV as soon as possible after diagnosis. This medicine is called antiretroviral therapy, or ART.
Taking HIV medicine as prescribed can make your viral load very low. This is called viral suppression—usually defined as having less than 200 copies of HIV per milliliter of blood.
HIV Treatment
HIV treatment involves taking medicines that slow the progression of the virus in your body. HIV is a type of virus called a retrovirus, and the combination of drugs used to treat it is called antiretroviral therapy (ART).
Resources for Persons Living with HIV
Find HIV care service across the United States, including HIV medical care, housing assistance, and substance abuse and mental health services (from HIV.gov).
Healthy Living with HIV
Can my HIV or my HIV treatment affect my diet and nutrition? Yes. People with HIV sometimes face issues that can affect their nutrition,
Mental Health for Persons Living with HIV
How can HIV impact my mental health? Almost every person faces mental health challenges at some point. Major stresses—like the death of a loved one, divorce, loss of a job, or moving—can have a major impact on mental health. Having a serious illness, like HIV, can be another source of major stress.
Dealing with HIV Stigma and Discrimination
HIV-related stigma refer to negative beliefs, feelings and attitudes towards people living with HIV, their families, people who work with them (HIV service providers), and members of groups that have been heavily impacted by HIV, such as gay and bisexual men, homeless people, street youth, and mentally ill people.
Living with HIV and Protecting Others
Can I transmit HIV if I have an undetectable viral load? HIV medicine lowers the amount of virus (viral load) in your body, and taking it as prescribed can make your viral load undetectable.