So far as of now AIDS can only be treated but cannot be cured. There is at present no vaccine or cure for HIV or AIDS, which makes prevention so important. Combinations of antiviral drugs and drugs that improve the immune system have let many people with HIV to ward off infections, stay fit and healthy, and extend their lives, but these medicines are not a sure shot cure. At present there is no vaccine to prevent HIV and AIDS, although researches have been on for developing one.

The best way so far suggested is prevention and avoid risking HIV infection. The only recognized methods of prevention are grounded on averting contact to the virus or, on failing which, an antiretroviral treatment (ART) straight after a extremely significant exposure, called post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). PEP has a very difficult four week timetable of dosage. It also has awfully unpleasant side effects which include diarrhea, uneasiness, nausea and fatigue. These drugs can slow down the rapid growth of HIV virus, and slow down the harm to your immunity system. There is no way to “clear” the HIV virus out of the body.

To prevent HIV infection, Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is used for ARVs after exposure to HIV as soon as possible. PEP can reduce the rate of infection by 79% in health care workers who are exposed to HIV.

There are other drugs available which can prevent or treat opportunistic infections (OIs). In several cases, these drugs work perfectly well. The newer, stronger ARVs have also aided decrease the rates of most OIs. A few OIs, though, are still very hard to treat.

In case of serious exposures, the U.S. Public Health Service has recommended using a mixture of three approved ARVs for four weeks. And in case of less serious exposure it recommends using the two drugs: AZT and 3TC for four weeks of treatment. But sometimes these medicines come with some side effects and most of the health concerning agencies also issues warnings about them. As an instance the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) warned in January 2001 warned against nevirapine use for PEP as it increases the risk of liver damage. In September 2005, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) updated its PEP recommendations.

What Is AIDS? What are the causes & Symptoms of AIDS? What is the treatment of AIDS?

Since there is no cure and prevention is better than that, it is better to prevent yourself from HIV infection. HIV transmission and infection can be prevented by:

* abstaining from sex (abstinence from oral, vaginal, or anal sex)
* Regular use of latex condoms for any kind of sexual intercourse
* avoiding contact with the bodily fluids through which HIV is and can be transmitted.
* Never sharing needles with other and destroying it after single use to make sure nobody else uses it again.

These are some methods to prevent HIV/AIDS infection since no cure is available as of now.

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