What is HIV?
- HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. A virus is a micro-organism that attacks the cells of whatever it attacks, so in this case, as we can see from the name, it attacks the human immune system.
- HIV can be spread by people infected with the virus; it is not something you just develop. People who are infected with HIV are 'HIV+', and this can only be detected by a blood test.
- It is dangerous because it attacks the immune system, which means that the body is potentially open to all sorts of other infections and will not have the strength to fight them off. It leaves the person vulnerable.
- At present there is no cure for HIV.
What is AIDS?
- Where HIV is a physical organism - you would be able to look at an HIV cell under a microscope - AIDS is not. AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, and someone is only said to have an AIDS diagnosis when they become seriously ill and the amount of immune system cells in the body drops below a certain point. AIDS is extremely dangerous, because it means the body has very little defence system left.
- You cannot catch AIDS, only HIV.
