What Is AIDS?
Ans. Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Syndrome or AIDS is diagnosed in a person infected by HIV after they develop one of the AIDS indicator illnesses. An HIV-positive person who has not had any serious illnesses also can receive an AIDS diagnosis on the basis of certain blood tests. A positive HIV test result does not mean that a person has AIDS. A diagnosis of AIDS is made by a physician using certain clinical criteria (e.g., AIDS indicator illnesses). Many of the infections that cause problems or may be life-threatening for people with AIDS are usually controlled by a healthy immune system. The immune system of a person with AIDS is weakened to the point that medical intervention may be necessary to prevent or treat serious illness. Appropriate medical treatment can slow down the rate at which HIV weakens the immune system and some of the illnesses associated with AIDS can be prevented or cured. Early detection is the key to health management of an infected person as it offers more options
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome is the life-threatening stage of HIV disease, also called Advanced HIV Disease. It is a medical diagnosis for someone whose immune system is so damaged that certain diseases (opportunistic infections) or cancers can develop. It is identified as such because: A – Acquired; it is an acquired condition or infection, not something transmitted or inherited through the genes. I – Immune; it affects the body’s immune system, that part of the body which is responsible for protecting the body from germs such as bacteria, fungi and viruses. D – Deficiency; it makes the immune system deficient (does not work properly). S – Syndrome; someone with AIDS may experience a wide range of different diseases and opportunistic infections.
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a late stage of HIV infection. By the time a diagnosis of AIDS is made, HIV will already have seriously damaged the body’s immune system. Often, a person with an AIDS diagnosis will already have had a life–threatening infection or cancer. Before the use of effective treatment, it commonly took 10 years or more from the time of initial HIV infection to a diagnosis of AIDS, and, on average, it would take another two to four years before death. However, new treatments are radically slowing the destruction of the immune system caused by HIV and lengthening life expectancy. Some people with HIV infection may never developed AIDS.
