Human Immunodeficiency Virus, prominently known as HIV, is a retrovirus that attacks the body's immune system, specifically the CD4 cells, which play a crucial role in maintaining the body's defence against infections and diseases. Once the HIV infiltrates these cells, it reduces its ability to combat other diseases, rendering the body vulnerable to a wide range of infections and diseases that the body could otherwise fight off.

HIV is primarily transmitted through direct contact with specific bodily fluids of individuals carrying the virus — blood, semen, vaginal and rectal fluids, and breast milk. Direct contact often happens through unprotected sexual behaviour, sharing needles, syringes, rinse water, or other equipment used to prepare drugs for injection. Another form of transmission can occur from mother to child during childbirth or breastfeeding.

It is crucial to understand that HIV does not spread through air or water, casual physical contact, saliva, sweat, tears, or closed-mouth kissing. Misconceptions about its transmission often lead to stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV.

Many people with HIV have no symptoms for a long duration, which makes testing of paramount importance. Symptoms may not appear until the immune system is severely damaged, at which point the illness merges into Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). In the first two to four weeks after infection with HIV, individuals may experience a flu-like illness, which is the body's natural response to the virus.

Unfortunately, there is no effective cure for HIV, making it a major global public health issue. However, with proper medical care, HIV can be controlled. Treatment for HIV is known as antiretroviral therapy (ART), and if taken as prescribed, it can keep people with HIV healthy for many years, reducing the risk of transmitting it to others.

Prevention is possible through various means, such as using condoms, using clean needles, or through pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a medicine that at-risk individuals can take to prevent getting HIV. Advocacy for education about HIV, including its transmission, symptoms, and ways to protect oneself, is also critical in its widespread prevention.

Living with HIV presents a significant psychological and physical challenge. However, the advancements in medicine have dramatically improved the health, quality of life, and life expectancy of individuals living with the disease. The fight against HIV involves not just a medical battle but also a fight against stigmatization and misinformation. In this global battle, understanding, compassion, and informed action are our key allies.