Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS)

Definition

AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) is the final and most serious stage of HIV disease, which causes severe damage to the immune system.

Symptoms

The symptoms of AIDS are primarily the result of infections that do not normally develop in individuals with healthy immune systems. These are called opportunistic infections.

People with AIDS have had their immune system depleted by HIV and are very susceptible to these opportunistic infections. Common symptoms are fevers, sweats (particularly at night), swollen lymph glands, chills, weakness, and weight loss.

See the signs and tests section below for a list of common opportunistic infections and major symptoms associated with them.

Note: Initial infection with HIV may produce no symptoms. Some people, however, do experience flu-like symptoms with fever, rash, sore throat, and swollen lymph nodes, usually 2 weeks after contracting the virus. Some people with HIV infection remain without symptoms for years between the time they are exposed to the virus and when they develop AIDS.

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