HIV is the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. It is the virus that causes AIDS. You may hear that someone is HIV-infected or has HIV disease. Both terms mean that the person has HIV in his or her body and can pass (transmit) the virus to other people.
HIV attacks the body’s immune system. The immune system protects the body from getting germs and disease. Over time, most people with HIV become less able to fight off the germs that get into their bodies every day. These germs usually do not make a healthy person sick. But when the immune system gets weaker from HIV, these germs can cause infections and cancers that can kill a person. There are medications that fight HIV and help the immune system stay stronger for a longer time. But, there is no cure to get HIV out of the body or a shot (vaccine) to prevent HIV. Once a person has HIV infection, he or she has it for life and can pass the virus to others.
