What is AIDS?

AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. AIDS is the final stage of HIV infection. It can take years for an HIV-infected person, even without treatment, to reach this stage. Having AIDS means that the virus has weakened the immune system to the point at which the body has difficulties to fight infections. If someone has one or more of these infections and a low number of T cells, he or she has AIDS.

People with AIDS get diseases such as pneumonia, diarrhoea or skin cancer. Without treatment, these people will die from such diseases.