There is currently no definitive cure for HIV. However, current HIV treatment with antiretroviral therapy can reduce the viral load to undetectable levels when taken correctly, helping control the infection.
Treatment does not eliminate the virus from the body. HIV can mutate easily and can remain hidden inside certain immune cells, which makes it hard for the immune system and medicines to fully remove it.
Several possible cure strategies are being studied, including vaccines, stem cell transplant, gene therapy, and broadly neutralizing antibodies. Some people who had stem cell transplants for leukemia have reached long-term remission, but this is not considered a routine cure and is not a standard HIV treatment.
To help prevent HIV, use condoms correctly during vaginal, anal, or oral sex, do not share needles or sharp personal items, and use antiretroviral treatment during pregnancy when needed to reduce transmission to the baby. People with higher risk of exposure may also be advised to use PrEP or PEP. HIV care should be guided by an infectious disease specialist, and antiretroviral medicines should not be started or stopped without medical advice.