HIV and AIDS 

Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV)

HIV is a retrovirus, and is unusual as it uses the cells of an infected person to make copies of itself.  The way HIV works is still not fully understood, but is known to affect the immune system, preventing it from working properly. HIV infects several primary cells (CD4 and other lymphocyte cells) of the immune system which co-ordinate the body's fight against infection.

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)

AIDS is not a disease as such, but rather a group (syndrome) of specific illnesses and conditions that occur as a result of the damage caused to a person's immune system by HIV. Because an HIV positive person's immune system is impaired by HIV, certain opportunistic infections can flourish. These infections would not cause problems to a person with a fully functioning immune system. A person is said to have 'AIDS' when they have one or more of these opportunistic infections. Our positive page has more detailed information.