I have not asked this question before because Im afraid I will look bumb. I thought HIV and aids are the same thing. Are they? Please tell me what exactly what is HIV and what is aids.
2006-09-03 02:22:49 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Other - Diseases
HIV is entered through the body through the mucous membranes or thru blood to blood contact.
Once you get the virus it slowly begins to attack the immune system, killing off healthy immune system cells. The deterioration and destruction of immune function leads to AIDS.
AIDS is the final stage of the HIV infection. A person is said to have AIDS when the cd4 counts drops below 200 and or a person has 1 or more opportunistic infections. The OIs, as they are called, are normal infections that a healthy person would be able to fight off.
The four stages of the HIV infection are as follows:
1) The period following infection is called the window. It is called this because it reflect the window of time between infection and that which antibodies are devlop in a person. The HIV test looks for antibodies not the virus.
2) The second stage is called seroconversion. This is when the body begins to develop lots of antibodies to fight off the virus in the body. During this period a person may have flu like sympton. Also during this period is said to be very infectious.
3) The third stage is called symptom free. During this period a person may have no sympton what so ever. This can last any where from 6 months to well over ten years. The medical world is not sure why some people are living sympton free for so long.
4) The final stage is called AIDS. This is the period when TCELL drop to below 200 and the OI"S are present.
So, as we see, HIV is a infection that will leads to AIDS.
The body immune system is slowly being attacked until it is destroyed and can't fight off infections. Once this happens a person is said to have AIDS. AIDS is the final stage.
2006-09-03 02:25:25 · answer #1 · answered by surfinthedesert 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
HIV is the virus that can cause Aids. Aids is when the HIV virus seriously compromises you immune system and you develop the illnesses associated with it.
Not everyone with HIV will develop Aids. You can have the virus for decades without getting sick.
Try www.stopaids.org/resources for a good explanation
2006-09-03 02:32:31 · answer #2 · answered by nomadd1812 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My human being son has HIV. even as his Ct4 count number is going down about 50 factors, he will have AIDS. The complicated data is in the numbers. even as the numbers for the Ct4 count number attain a particular kind, the affected human being is taken under consideration to have AIDS.
2016-12-06 05:31:46 · answer #3 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
HIV is the virus.
WHich attacks your immune system.
AIDS - means the virus has pretty much destroyed your immune system and you are now at risk for infection. Even the smallest
infection that a person with a normal immune system wouldn;t notice can kill a person who's disease has now progressed to aids.
Whats kill them is the infections.
hope that helps
2006-09-03 02:29:15 · answer #4 · answered by gerilynn35 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
HIV is the VIRUS....AIDS is the resulting syndrome of symptoms from the full blown disease.
2006-09-03 02:24:25 · answer #5 · answered by salsagal41 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
and just to make the point. dont sleep with anyone who has either...
2006-09-03 02:45:38 · answer #6 · answered by yeah well 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yup!
2006-09-03 02:24:23 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋