HIV and STD Information
HIV and STDs
HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus, the virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome). STDs are Sexually Transmitted Diseases, which include HIV and other infections like chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, syphilis, and HPV.
HIV and other STDs are often contracted through sexual contact (vaginal, anal, or oral sex). Many infections are also passed through sharing needles, contact with infected blood, or from mother to baby during pregnancy or birth. HIV and other STDs are not passed casually through things like hugging or shaking hands. Each infection is different.
HIV Symptoms
Many people with HIV do not have symptoms for several years after becoming infected. Some people may produce mild, temporary flu-like symptoms or swollen glands right after infection. When left untreated, HIV can develop symptoms of AIDS which are usually more severe. The only way to know if you are infected is to get tested.
Other STD Symptoms
Many people do not have any symptoms. Those that do can have pain when urinating, a discharge, or blisters in the genital area. Each STD causes different symptoms. The only way to know if you are infected is to get tested.
Learn more about: HIV/AIDS | Chlamydia | Gonorrhea | Syphilis | Congenital Syphilis | Hepatitis C | Bacterial Vaginosis (BV) | Hepatitis A | Hepatitis B | Hepatitis D | Hepatitis E | Herpes | Human Papillomavirus (HPV) | Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) | Pubic Lice | Scabies | Trichomoniasis | Yeast (Thrush)
Get Tested for HIV and STDs
Free and low-cost testing for HIV and other STDs is available in many locations across Texas. Learn more about where to get tested.
Get Help
For questions about HIV and other STDs, call 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636).
Educational Materials
Electronic and printed educational materials are available from DSHS. You can view, download, and order materials from the educational materials page.
The Program Materials Review Panel (PMRP) also reviews many new publications, videos, and other educational materials for DSHS HIV/STD prevention activities. Materials come from the federal government, other states, local communities and community-based organizations, clinics and health providers, schools, and service organizations. Visit the PMRP page to view the list of materials reviewed.
HIV/STD Observances
- About the DSHS HIV/STD Program
- Contact Us
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- HIV Administrative Agencies
- HIV/STD Service Providers – Abilene – Amarillo – Arlington – Austin
- HIV/STD Service Providers – Beaumont – Belton – Bryan
- HIV/STD Service Providers – Cameron – Cleveland – Corpus Christi – Cotulla
- HIV/STD Service Providers – Dallas – Denton
- HIV/STD Service Providers – Eagle Pass – El Paso
- HIV/STD Service Providers – Farmers Branch – Fort Worth
- HIV/STD Service Providers – Galveston
- HIV/STD Service Providers – Hallettsville – Harlingen – Hillsboro – Houston
- HIV/STD Service Providers – Killeen – Kingsville
- HIV/STD Service Providers – Laredo – Longview – Lubbock – Lufkin
- HIV/STD Service Providers – McAllen – McKinney – Midland
- HIV/STD Service Providers – Nacogdoches – Odessa
- HIV/STD Service Providers – Palestine – Plano – Richmond – Robstown
- HIV/STD Service Providers – San Angelo – San Antonio – San Marcos – Sherman
- HIV/STD Service Providers – Temple – Texarkana – Texas City – Tyler
- HIV/STD Service Providers – Uvalde – Victoria – Waco – Wichita Falls
- HIV and STD Testing in Texas
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- Epi Profile – Data Sources and Notes
- Epi Profile Section 1 – Executive Summary
- Epi Profile Section 2 – Texans Living with HIV in 2018
- Epi Profile Section 3 – Texans with New HIV Diagnoses
- Epi Profile Section 4 – New Diagnoses in MSM
- Epi Profile Section 5 – Texans with Newly Acquired HIV
- Epi Profile Section 6 – Deaths in Texans Living with HIV
- Epi Profile Section 7 – Comorbidities in Texans Living with HIV
- Epi Profile Section 8 – HIV Testing in Programs Funded by the Department of State Health Services
- Epi Profile Section 9 – Sex and Substance Use in PLWH
- Epi Profile Section 10 – Sex and Substance Use in People at Increased Risk for HIV in Dallas, Texas
- Epi Profile Section 11 – HIV Treatment Cascade
- Epi Profile - Table Appendix
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- Border Report Section 1 – Executive Summary
- Border Report Section 2 – HIV, STDs, and TB in the Texas-Mexico Border Region
- Border Report Section 3 – Population and Demographics of the Texas-Mexico Border Region
- Border Report Section 4 – HIV Diagnoses and People Living with HIV
- Border Report Section 5 – Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- Border Report Section 6 – Tuberculosis
- Border Report – Table Appendix
- HIV and Viral Hepatitis Prevention and Treatment Resources in Texas
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Contractor Resources – HIV Medical and Psychosocial Support Services Open submenu links Close submenu links
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- Outpatient/Ambulatory Health Services
- Home and Community-Based Health Services
- Referral for Health Care and Support Services
- Non-Medical Case Management
- Home Health Care
- Rehabilitation Services
- Early Intervention Services
- Oral Health Services
- Hospice Services
- Respite Care
- Food Bank – Home Delivered Meals
- Other Professional Services
- Housing Services
- Health Education/Risk Reduction
- Outreach Services
- Linguistic Services
- Health Education-Risk Reduction – Minority AIDS Initiative
- Outreach Services – Minority AIDS Initiative
- Medical Nutrition Therapy
- Health Insurance Premium and Cost Sharing Assistance
- Psychosocial Support Services
- Medical Transportation Services
- Emergency Financial Assistance
- Child Care
- Medical Case Management (including Treatment Adherence Services)
- Mental Health Services
- Substance Abuse Outpatient Care
- Substance Abuse Services (Residential)
- Universal Standards
- Telemedicine Guide Resources
- Telemedicine, Teledentistry, and Telehealth for HIV Core and Support Services
- Primary and Secondary Service Categories
- Public Comment on the Updated HIV Standards of Care
- Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS
- HIV Services Program Reports
- Technical Assistance
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- THISIS Help Desk
- THISIS Training Manuals
- THISIS Resources and Forms
- THISIS Training Videos
- THISIS Tip Sheets
- THISIS Workflows
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- THISIS FAQ – Labs
- THISIS FAQ – System Access
- THISIS FAQ – Clinical
- THISIS FAQ – Event
- THISIS FAQ – Follow-Up
- THISIS FAQ – Workflows
- THISIS FAQ – HIV Surveillance
- THISIS FAQ – Notes
- THISIS FAQ – Partner-Clusters
- THISIS FAQ – Public Health Follow-Up
- THISIS FAQ – Reporting-Morbidity
- THISIS FAQ – Reports
- THISIS FAQ – Risk Factors
- THISIS FAQ – Syphilis
- THISIS FAQ – Case Assignment Field Record
- THISIS FAQ – Co-Infection Management
- THISIS FAQ – Congenital Syphilis
- THISIS FAQ – Facilities
- THISIS FAQ - General
- THISIS FAQ – Assigning and Tracking Cases-Field Records
- THISIS FAQ – Helpful Tips
- THISIS Glossary
- DSHS TB/HIV/STD Security and Database Account Management
- Medical Monitoring Project (MMP)
- Texas HIV Surveillance Procedure Manual
- HIV/AIDS Data Changes 2010
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- Contractor Resources – Routine HIV Testing
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- HIV/STD Planning
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- 700.006 Multi-Month and Special Circumstance Medication Supply and Coverage
- 700.007 Texas Insurance Assistance Program
- PMCY01 Prescription Medication Shortages
- 591.000 The Use of Ryan White Part B Funds for Incarcerated People Living with HIV (PLWH), Recently Released, or Otherwise Judicially Involved in Texas
- 700.003 HIV Medication Participating Site Eligibility Criteria
- 700.004 HIV Medications Ordering Process for Pharmacies
- LIDS 2021.001 Program Income
- 2012.01 Overall Responsible Party for HIV/STD Surveillance Data
- 2011.04 Breach of Confidentiality Response
- 2011.01 Confidential Information Security
- 090.001 Roles and Responsibilities of the Section Regarding Contractors
- 090.020 Model Policies for Handling, Caring and Treating Persons Infected with a Sexually Transmitted Disease (Including HIV/AIDS) While in the Custody, Supervision or Care of Correctional, Law Enforcement, or Emergency Services Entities
- 090.002 HIV Client Services Funding Allocation Formula
- 090.010 Contract Monitoring
- 120.100 HIV Testing of Pregnant Women
- 302.001 Release of Tuberculosis (TB), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) and Viral Hepatitis Data
- 530.002 Section Expectations and Provider Rights Regarding the Delivery of Client Service
- 530.003 How to Deal With Clients Who Threaten to Harm Themselves or Others
- 590.001 DSHS Funds as Payment of Last Resort
- 110.002 HIV and STD Prevention Activities in State Prisons and Jails, State Juvenile Justice Facilities, Municipal and County Jails, Federal Prisons, and Private Prisons
- 130.001 Condom Distribution Non-Contracting Prevention Sites
- 220.001 Eligibility to Receive HIV Services
- 231.001 TakeChargeTexas (TCT) Security
- 231.000 TakeChargeTexas (TCT) Users
- 231.002 Administrative Agency Data Managers’ Core Competencies
- 231.003 TCT Data Improvement Plan
- 241.001 Administrative Agency Roles and Responsibilities
- 241.003 Subcontracting HIV Health and Support Services
- 241.004 Administrative Agency Requirements for Community Input
- 241.005 Conflict of Interest in Administrative Agencies
- 241.006 Reallocation of HIV Client Services Funds
- 260.002 Health Insurance Assistance
- 270.001 Calculation of Estimated Expenditures on Covered Clinical Services
- 280.001 Sub-Contracting HIV Core and Support Services by an Administrative Agency
- 420.002 Provider Selection Criteria and Requirements for the Texas Infertility Prevention Project
- 700.001 Texas HIV Medication Program Requests to Change State HIV Medication Formulary
- 700.005 Medicare Part D
- 2020.02 DSHS Central Pharmacy to Dispense Medications to THMP Participants
- 2023.015 Orders for Control of Transmission of HIV and STDs in Texas
- 2023.004 340B Patient Eligibility
- 2023.005 Covered Entity Eligibility and Central Distribution Model Participation
- 2023.006 Prevention of Diversion of 340B Medication
- 2023.008 Covered Entity Ordering and Inventory Tracking
- 2023.009 340B Material Breach Policy
- 2023.010 340B Database Registration, Recertification, and Review
- 2023.011 Penicillin G Benzathine (Bicillin) Treatment
- 2023.013 340B Authorizing Official Back-up
- 2023.007 Prevention of Duplicate Discounts
- 2023.016 340B Roles, Responsibilities, Training and Education
- PIOS User Access
- 700.002 Right to Limit the Number of Clients Assigned to a Pharmacy
- Repealed Policies and Procedures
- Model Workplace Guidelines
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- 2016.01 HIV/STD Section Confidential Information Security
- 2021.01 Appeals Requests Related to the Texas HIV Medication Program
- 020.050 Public Complaints Related to the Delivery of Section Programs
- 900.002 Completing the Contractor Risk Assessment Tool
- 2020.01 Quality Assurance for the Texas HIV Medication Program’s Eligibility Processes
- HIV/STD Security Policies and Procedures
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- POPS Chapter 1 – Focused HIV Testing, Counseling, and Linkage to Care for HIV Prevention
- POPS Chapter 2 – Quality Assurance for Focused HIV Testing, Counseling, and Linkage to Care for HIV Prevention
- POPS Chapter 7 – HCV Testing
- POPS Chapter 8 – HIV/STD Surveillance
- POPS Chapter 9 – Disease Intervention Specialist Performance Standards
- POPS Chapter 3 – HIV/STD Partner Services and Seropositive Notification
- POPS Chapter 4 – HIV Testing in STD Clinics
- POPS Chapter 13 – Administrative Agency Core Competencies
- POPS Chapter 10 – First-Line Supervisors Performance Standards
- POPS Chapter 11 – Regional and Local Health Department HIV/STD Program Manager Performance Standards
- POPS Chapter 12 – STD Clinical Standards
- POPS Chapter 16 – Routine HIV Screening in Healthcare Settings
- POPS Chapter 19 - Individual and Group HIV Prevention Interventions
- POPS Chapter 15 – Client Referral Standards
- POPS Chapter 17 - Health Insurance Program Standards
- POPS Chapter 18 – Pick-Up And Delivery Of Prescription And Over-The-Counter Medications Standards
- POPS Chapter 14 – Client File Organization, Content, and Security Standards
- POPS Chapter 22 – Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) and Non-occupational Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (nPEP)
- POPS Chapter 20 – Direct Client Services Volunteer Programs Standards
- POPS Chapter 24 – Structural Interventions for HIV Prevention
- POPS Chapter 23 – Congenital Syphilis
- POPS Chapter 25 – Tangible Reinforcements for HIV Prevention
- POPS Appendix F – CDC Surveillance Case Definitions
- Laws, Rules, and Authorization
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- Records Retention