Think you’re not at risk for HIV? In a 2012 study, 18% of people among those screened for HIV tested positive for the virus and did not even know they had it [1]. A simple blood test can determine if a person is HIV positive—and, the earlier treatment is started, the better the outcome. There is no cure for HIV, the human immunodeficiency virus, which is a precursor to AIDS, or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. It can take as long as 10-15 years, even if untreated, for someone who is HIV positive to show any symptoms of AIDS, which is why testing and treatment are important to prolong this period of dormant symptoms, as well as to prevent further spread