HIV which is the abbreviation for Human Immunodeficiency Virus is a virus that attacks the immune system. HIV breaks down the immune system, making the person more able to get sick. Without treatment, most people infected with HIV become less able to fight off normal germs that we encounter every day. Someone who has HIV is called "HIV positive" or "HIV+".
AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is a late stage of HIV infection. An HIV positive person is diagnosed with AIDS when their immune system is so weakened that it is no longer able to fight off illness. Ultimately, people do not die from AIDS itself, they die from a certain infection that the immune system can no longer fight off. It is believed that all people who become HIV+ will eventually have AIDS.
There is no known cure or vaccine for AIDS. It can take several years before HIV breaks down a person's immune system and causes AIDS, and people may show few symptoms for several years after they are infected. People who appear perfectly healthy may not know they have the virus and can pass it on to others. 1 out of 4 Americans with HIV do not know they have the virus. The only way to know if you have HIV is to get tested.
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