what different between AIDS and HIV?

Answer 1

HIV and AIDS, though definitely related, are decidedly different.

HIV is the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It attacks the immune system.

AIDS is Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. AIDS is caused by HIV. However, most are phasing out this term in favor of "Advanced HIV Disease".

The progression of HIV infection to AIDS is not always inevitable. There are people who are termed "long term non-progressors". These are people who have had HIV for a very long time but exhibit no appreciable decrease in their immune function; even without taking medications.

Recently, the advancement of HIV infection to AIDS has been slowed dramtically by highly effective (and highly expensive) Anti-HIV medications.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (the CDC) there are specific criteria for an AIDS diagnosis. People who have had an HIV positive test result combined with a CD4+ count lower than 200 or CD4+ percentage less than 14 or an opportunistic infection (OI) have AIDS.

That is, a person with HIV and an opportunistic infection (any one of about 30 specific illnesses) is diagnosed with AIDS regardless of the CD4 count. Also, a person with HIV and fewer than 200 CD4 cells is considered to have AIDS even if the person never had an OI.

Finally, once diagnosed with AIDS, the diagnosis never goes away. Even if one's CD4 count rises into the 700 range after being below 200, that person is still considered to have AIDS. Similarly, a person who no longer has an OI will still have a diagnosis of AIDS (or Advanced HIV Disease).

Answer 2

HIV is the virus that may causes AIDS. HIV belongs to a subset of viruses called retroviruses or slow virus.



This is because it is a progressive disease. 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.

Answer 3

HIV

Human immunodeficiency virus or HIV is a retrovirus that causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which the immune system begins to fail, leading to life-threatening opportunistic infections

AIDS

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS or Aids) is a collection of symptoms and infections in humans resulting from the specific damage to the immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

This is My Best Answer!

Answer 4

HIV is Human Immuno Dificiancy Virus, it's the virus that happens before aids, the only difference is the T Cell count. Look it up on the internet.

http://hiv.com

Answer 5

HIV is the virus AIDs is the desease cause by the virus when no treatment is taken by an infected person. by taking care of HIV you can help to prevent it from becoming full blown AIDs.

Answer 6

HIV is a virus that weakens your immunity if you fail to take the necessary medicine to control the virus the immunity weakens resulting in you getting all sorts of diseases which equals to AIDS. You can live with HIV for years but once you get AIDS you days are numbered.

Answer 7

HIV is the virus. You can have it for years and not know. When the virus becomes active the body looses the ability to fight diseases, it destroys the immune system. This is AIDS.

Answer 8

HIV is the virus that causes AIDS

Answer 9

HIV is the name of the virus. If the virus infects you completely, you get AIDS.

Answer 10

HIV eventually evolves into the aids virus...
Much like Strep throat can evolve into Scarlet fever if not treated...
Only there is no viable treatment for HIV, only prevention!