AIDS
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It’s important to understand that HIV and AIDS are not the same thing. AIDS is not a virus or disease in its own right – it is a particular set of symptoms. If a person develops certain serious opportunistic infections or diseases (as a result of damage to their immune system from advanced stage 3 HIV infection), they are said to have AIDS. There isn’t a test for AIDS and you can’t inherit it. If you have advanced HIV (with AIDS-defining symptoms), it is really important to get the right treatment as soon as possible. With treatment it is still possible to recover from AIDS-related infections and diseases and bring HIV under control.
The earlier you have HIV diagnosed, and start treatment, the better your likely long-term health.
