The letters stand for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This is the virus that causes AIDS.  Human means that the virus affects human rather than other forms of life.  Immunodeficiency means that the immune system is not functioning as it should.  A Virus is a submicroscopic parasite that can grow and reproduce only in living cells.

The CDC estimates that between 650,000 and 900,000 people are living with HIV in the United States. They estimate that approximately 36.1 million people are living with HIV/AIDS worldwide and 47% of these are women.  21.8 million have died so far.   Half of all new infections in the US occur in people under the age of 25.  HIV infection is the 6th leading cause of death in people 15-24 years old and the 5th leading cause of death in people 25-44 years old.

HIV is spread through an exchange of body fluids. This can be blood, semen, breast milk, or cervical-vaginal secretions.  HIV is usually spread during sexual activity, but it can also be spread from one person to another by sharing needles such as with intravenous (IV) drug use.  HIV can also be spread from mother to her unborn child.

AIDS stands for Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Syndrome.  Acquired means that it is not part of your normal genetic code.  Immunodeficiency means that the immune system is no longer working to successfully fight off diseases and infections.  Syndrome in this case means that you have a combination of life-threatening illnesses.  Being diagnosed with AIDS means that the HIV has basically destroyed most of your immune system.   Usually it takes about 10 years for AIDS to develop. The length of time depends upon if you get treatment, your general health, and if you avoid unhealthy behaviors.

There are no symptoms of the HIV until it has already begun to attack your immune system. Over time, the virus gradually destroys your immune system and you start to develop "opportunistic" diseases - or diseases that would not develop or be far less severe in the healthy person.

If you have had un-protected sex (oral, anal, or vaginal) with someone who has, or could have the HIV - or - if you have shared needles when using drugs, you should have a HIV test.

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