What Does "HIV Positive" Mean?

What Does "HIV Positive" Mean?

The term HIV positive is used to describe someone who has become infected with HIV and whose blood has antibodies or markers for HIV, or “positive” for antibodies. These antibodies are made by the immune system. The immune system is the part of your body that fights bacteria and viruses. Antibodies working in the immune system can often protect the body from having a virus or disease again. HIV, however, is very unusual in that it hides in T cells. That means that even though the body makes antibodies to fight HIV, the antibodies cannot find and kill the virus. Therefore, having antibodies for HIV does not protect a person from the disease