HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus.
HIV gradually destroys the body’s immune system, making the infected person more vulnerable to other illnesses. Many people do not feel ill at all when they are first infected. They may have no symptoms for a long time.
An HIV-positive person is said to have AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) when the capacity of his or her immune system has fallen below a certain level. The immune system is usually too weak to fight off infection, and even the most basic illness can be fatal. At this point, a person’s life expectancy is generally limited to one to two years.