HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) has transitioned from a terminal illness into a manageable chronic condition. HIV is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system by destroying CD4 cells (T-helper cells), which are responsible for coordinating the body’s defense against infections. Because the virus can hide in a dormant state within a person’s DNA, it currently remains a lifelong infection.
The Progression to AIDS
If left untreated, HIV weakens the immune system until it can no longer fight off everyday infections or certain cancers. This advanced stage is known as AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). A diagnosis of AIDS occurs when:
- The CD4 cell count drops below 200 cells per microliter.
- The individual develops opportunistic infections (OIs), such as Tuberculosis, Pneumonia (PCP), or specific cancers like Kaposi’s sarcoma.
HIV can also directly damage organs, including the brain, kidneys, and heart.
HIV is spread through specific bodily fluids, including blood, sexual fluids, and breast milk. While anyone can contract the virus, certain “Key Populations” face a disproportionately higher risk due to social and biological factors:
Transmission and Populations at Risk
- Men who have sex with men (MSM): Account for 66% of new U.S. diagnoses in 2025.
- People who inject drugs (PWID): Approximately 29 times more likely to acquire HIV.
- Sex workers and Transgender women: Face significantly higher infection rates than the general population.
- Vulnerable Groups: Includes adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa and minority communities in the U.S.
Prevention: PrEP and PEP
There are treatments before and after exposure available in Cambodia.
Testing and Knowing Your Status
Testing is the only way to determine HIV status. Routine testing is recommended for everyone aged 13–64, while those with higher risk factors should test annually or every 3–6 months.
- Window Period: No test can detect HIV immediately; it can take 10 to 90 days depending on the test type (NAT, Antigen/Antibody, or Antibody).
- Self-Testing: Kits like INSTI (results in 60 seconds) or OraQuick (oral swab, 20 minutes) allow for private testing at home.
- Confirmation: Any “reactive” self-test result must be confirmed by a healthcare professional with a laboratory blood test.
Living with HIV: Treatment and U=U
Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) stops the virus from replicating, allowing the immune system to recover.
- U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable): When a person maintains an “undetectable” viral load (usually <200 copies/mL) for six months or more, they have effectively no risk of transmitting the virus to sexual partners.
- Adherence: Taking medication exactly as prescribed is critical to prevent drug resistance.
- New Developments: Long-acting injections (e.g., Cabenuva) can replace daily pills for some, and research into mRNA vaccines and “functional cures” is ongoing.
Do you know Free HIV self-test is available at Ucare Pharmacy?
Partner with University of Health Sciences, we are running a project call “Test in Private” since December 2025 to March 2026.
- Purpose of the study
- Your participation will contribute to reducing the spread of HIV among key population and help ensure that the relationships of partners and their sexual activities are not at risk
- Benefit
- Free self-test kits
- Maintain the confidentiality of your participation
- Receive incentives if you send the test result and successfully distribute coupons to other key population
- Who can participate?
- Age 18 years and above
- Key population: MSM and TGW
- Location:
- More information
Tel: 012 278 394
096 953 0942
097 309 7151
Website: https://testinprivate.uhs.edu.kh
