HIV Symptoms And Prevention
Overview Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a chronic, potentially life-threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). By damaging your immune system, HIV interferes with your body's ability to fight infection and disease. HIV is a sexually transmitted infection (STI). It can also be spread by contact with infected blood or from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth or breast-feeding. Without medication, it may take years before HIV weakens your immune system to the point that you have AIDS . There's no cure for HIV / AIDS , but medications can dramatically slow the progression of the disease. These drugs have reduced AIDS deaths in many developed nations. Symptoms The symptoms of HIV and AIDS vary, depending on the phase of infection. Primary infection (Acute HIV) Some people infected by HIV develop a flu-like illness within two to four weeks after the virus enters the body. This illness, known as primary (acute) HIV