Ignore photo claiming to be HIV under microscope – shows caterpillar, not virus!
IN SHORT: Viral posts circulating on Facebook in Kenya and Tanzania claim to show HIV magnified under a microscope, suggesting the virus’s anatomy makes it drug-resistant. But the image actually shows a caterpillar and HIV resists treatment through genetic mutations, not because of its anatomy.
A photo circulating on Facebook claims to show the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, magnified under an electronic microscope.
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The photo is captioned in Kiswahili: “Kwa Wale Ambao Hawakuwai Kukiona Kirusi Cha UKIMWI Kikiwa Kimekuzwa Kwenye ELECTRONIC MICROSCOPE Basi Ndo Iki Sasa Hapo Kikiwa Kimekuzwa. Kirusi Iki Kimekuwa Kiki resist Dawa Kutokana na Anatomy Yake.”
This translates as: “For those who have never seen the HIV virus magnified under an electronic microscope, here it is now. This virus has been resisting medicine because of its anatomy.”
HIV attacks the immune system and if left untreated it can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or Aids.
The post has been circulating in Kenya and Tanzania. About 1.38 million adults in Kenya are living with HIV while in Tanzania the number is estimated at 1.55 million.
The same claim was shared here and here. (Note: See more instances at the end of this report.)
But what does the photo really show?
Photo shows caterpillar, not HIV
We thought the image looked suspicious and did a Google reverse image search of it. This revealed that it shows a citheronia caterpillar, not HIV.
We found an image of the same caterpillar, against a similar background, credited to Swiss photographer Marco Fischer and published on Instagram.
Unlike the caterpillar in the photo, HIV is invisible to the naked eye and can only be seen through a highly advanced electron microscope. Under a microscope, it looks nothing like the caterpillar. It appears as a tiny round particle with spike-like proteins on its surface that help it invade immune cells. Inside is a cone-shaped core carrying the virus’s genetic material.
The claim that HIV resists medicine due to its anatomy is also incorrect. According to the World Health Organization, HIV resists medicine as a result of the changes in its genetic structure, especially when treatment is not taken correctly. For example, when people miss doses, stop treatment, or misuse drugs, the virus has a chance to mutate.
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On 18 August 2025, Tanzania’s health ministry dismissed the claim on its official Instagram account, posting an actual image of HIV under a microscope. The graphic included Kiswahili text that read “UKWELI KUHUSU MUONEKANO WA VVU”. This translates as “the real appearance of HIV” or “the truth about how HIV looks”.
Ignore the claim that this colourful image of a caterpillar has anything to do with HIV or how the virus mutates.
This claim has also been posted here, here, here, here and here.
