Question
What is the expected life span of somebody who is HIV positive?
11 January 2008. Related: All topics, Living with HIV long-term.
What is the expected life span for hiv-positive person?
Answer
This is a difficult question to answer, as the expected life span of any person is a calculation of many factors. Among those are: genetic background, socio-economic state, life-style, diet, chronic conditions, job circumstances, level of risk exposure and many more.
The calculation for the HIV positive people does not differ much. Of course, things like the long-terms effect of the virus as well as drug toxicities are taken into account. Some of the mathematical models that I have seen, say that the expected life span of somebody who starts on medications now and uses only the currently existing medications, is between 30 to 45 years from the point of initiation of therapy.
Needless to say that newer and better medications appear almost every year, which gives additional hopes to people living with HIV.
Information and links to recent studies on this subject are in the answer to this earlier question.
Last, but not least, how long anyone lives depends on things you can change (smoking, exercise, medication) and thing you can’t (genetics. and good and bad luck!). These things can happen to all of us – regardless of HIV status.
I was wondering if their are medicines helping prevent the disease from further effecting your CD4+T cells then how come they are not working on a cure that helps destroy the actual virus in your body ?
Hi
If you are pregnant now, talk to your doctor about using HIV meds during the pregnancy and before birth. This is the only way to reduce the chance that your baby will catch HIV.
When you use treatment after the birth will depend on the results of your CD4 count.
With treatment, you have a good chance to lead a long and health life.
Dear Nani
It is difficult to predict how long another person can live. However, nowadays with access to and good use of treatment care and support, people living with HIV can expect to live for many years. Studies have shown that someone aged 20 and starting treatment can expect to live for another 45 years. When you will start treatment will depend on the treatment guidelines in your country. In general, both UK and WHO (World Health Organisation) treatment guidelines recommend starting with a CD4 count of 350.
i am 23 years old. i am hiv positive, no medical illness, but am pregnant. How many years can I survive and when will i will start medications?
Thanks to the HIV medication available life expectancy with HIV is very good and almost that of someone without HIV. For more information please follow this link to a similar question.
I am 33 years old and have tested HIV positive. I don’t have any symptoms up till now, what is the expected life span I may have?
Kim
Hi Kim,
It is very difficult to give you an accurate answer as there is not much data on life expectancy in children. Generally if children are able to cope with the first year of treatment then the outlook is very good.
Best wishes and good luck to the little guy!
A child of 20 months has been tested positive and he has been diagnosed with partial swallon liver. Now he has to start ARVs, what exactly is the life span we can expect provided he has access to good nutrition and health care? Please advise.
Kim
It depends on were you live. In some countries the medications that are used are the originators’ and then the price is usually high. This is most commonly in the developed country. Depending on the ARVs, a combination can be anywhere between several thousand to above 20000 Euros per year. In many countries like the members of the EU, the medications are paid by the national health system and the positive person does not pay. In other countries, like India, some countries in Africa, etc. generic medications are used. They are way cheaper and in some cases people buy them themselves. The generic medications that are prequalified by the World Health Organization are rigorously checked and they have the same effect as the originators’. A combination like that is usually several hundred dollars per year, but again, depends on the medications.
It is really great to hear that