HIV-infection

HIV is a viral infection, which is primarily transmitted by blood contact and sexual intercourse.

An HIV-infection is still not curable. However, the therapy has made some very important progresses and less people die of HIV/AIDS than ten years ago. The disease has changed from a deadly to a chronic disease, which isn’t lethal in most cases. But a cure is not yet available.

However, HIV remains to be a serious disease that demands for a very complex, specialized care and also demands very high discipline by the patients.

Although the newly-infection rate decreased in the nineties in Germany, currently the rate increases again for several years now. The main reasons for this development are the decreased fear of HIV and AIDS, the reduced use of condoms, reduced public funds for prevention measures as well as journeys to countries with a very high HIV-prevalence.

The HIV-infection is leaving the classical risk group of homosexual men behind and more and more affects heterosexual people.

 

What is HIV?

Ways of transmission

HIV-Test

Course of the infection

Treatment of HIV-infections 

Postexposure-prophylaxis (PEP)