Conditions and symptoms
What Is HIV-1? What It Means on Medicine Labels
HIV-1 · say it: aych-eye-vee WUNAlso written: HIV, HIV type 1, human immunodeficiency virus type 1, HIV-1 infection
Short answer
HIV-1 is the most common type of human immunodeficiency virus, which attacks immune cells and is treated with antiretroviral medicines.
What it means
HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. There are two main types, HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is the more common type worldwide. It infects and destroys CD4 cells, a kind of white blood cell that helps the immune system fight infections. Without treatment, the immune system weakens over time and can lead to AIDS.
HIV-1 is named on labels because antiretroviral medicines are tested and approved against a specific virus type. A label saying 'for the treatment of HIV-1 infection' means it was studied in HIV-1; it may not work the same way against HIV-2. Labels also warn about drug interactions and resistance, because HIV medicines need to be taken consistently to keep the virus under control.
With effective, continuous treatment, many people with HIV-1 reach an undetectable viral load and live long lives. HIV is the virus; AIDS is the advanced stage of untreated infection. They are not the same thing.
Where you may see it
- The 'Indications and Usage' section of antiretroviral medicine labels
- Lab reports for HIV-1 viral load and HIV-1/2 antibody tests
- Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medicine leaflets
📄 How it looks on a report
Indicated in combination with other antiretroviral agents for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in adults.
🙅 What it does not mean
- HIV-1 on a label does not mean the medicine treats every type of HIV.
- HIV-1 is not the same as AIDS. AIDS is an advanced stage that treatment aims to prevent.
- An 'undetectable' viral load result does not mean the medicine can be stopped. Treatment is usually continued long term.
🗒️ Questions to ask your doctor
💊 Medicines whose labels mention “HIV-1”
Plain-English explanations of each medicine, from its official FDA label.
- Dolutegravir
an HIV-1 integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI), a type of HIV medicine
- Fluticasone Propionate
A corticosteroid, which is a steroid medicine, given as a nasal spray
- Isoniazid
An antibacterial medicine of the antimycobacterial type, used against tuberculosis bacteria
- Lamivudine
An antiviral medicine of the nucleoside analogue reverse transcriptase inhibitor type, used here for hepatitis B
- Levonorgestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol
a combination birth control pill that contains a progestin and an estrogen
- Omeprazole
a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), a type of medicine that lowers the amount of acid in the stomach
- Pantoprazole
a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), a medicine that reduces the amount of acid the stomach makes
- Phenytoin
An anti-epileptic (seizure) medicine. The label describes it as related to barbiturates in chemical structure, and it belongs to the hydantoin group of medicines.
- Rifampin
an antibiotic of the rifamycin type
- Sildenafil
A phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitor, a medicine used to treat erectile dysfunction
🔗 Read more from trusted sources
- “HIV-1” on MedlinePlus ↗
US National Library of Medicine
- NCI Dictionary definition ↗
US National Cancer Institute: “hiv”
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General information about a medical word, not advice about your own results. Ask the clinician who ordered the test what it means for you.