what is aids

what is aids

AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. When HIV infection becomes advanced it often is referred to as AIDS. It generally occurs when the CD4 count is below 200/mL and is characterized by the appearance of opportunistic infections. These are infections that take advantage of a weakened immune system and include:

1. Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia
2. Toxoplasmosis
3. Tuberculosis
4. Extreme weight loss and wasting; exacerbated by diarrhea which can be experienced in up to 90% of HIV patients worldwide
5. Meningitis and other brain infections
6. Fungal infections
7. Syphilis
8. Malignancies such as lymphoma, cervical cancer, and
9. Kaposi's Sarcoma

Today we know that Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a disease and not a syndrome. A syndrome is commonly used to refer to collections of symptoms that do not have an easily identifiable cause. This name was more appropriate 13 years ago, when doctors were only aware of the late stages of the disease and did not fully understand its mechanisms. A more current name for the condition, regardless of an AIDS diagnosis, is HIV Disease. This name is more accurate because it refers to the pathogen that causes AIDS and encompasses all the condition¡¯s stages, from infection to the deterioration of the immune system and the onset of opportunistic diseases. However, AIDS is still the name that most people use to refer to the immune deficiency caused by HIV.

1. Acquired ¡ª because it is a condition that has to be contracted. It cannot be inherited or transmitted through the genes.
2. Immune ¡ª because it affects the body¡¯s immune system, the part of the body that fights off diseases.
3. Deficiency ¡ª because it makes the immune system stop working properly.
4. Syndrome ¡ª because people with AIDS experience a number of different symptoms and opportunistic diseases.