Quick Answer

AIDS is the late stage of HIV infection, when the immune system is severely damaged. HIV is a retrovirus that attacks CD4 cells; without treatment, it can progress to AIDS. Modern antiretroviral therapy can suppress HIV to undetectable levels, preventing progression and transmission.

  • HIV is a retrovirus that infects and destroys CD4 immune cells.
  • AIDS is diagnosed when CD4 count drops below 200 or certain infections occur.
  • The first AIDS cases were reported in the U.S. in 1981.
  • HIV was identified as the cause of AIDS in 1983-1984.
  • Antiretroviral therapy can reduce viral load to undetectable, known as U=U.
  • With treatment, people with HIV can live long, healthy lives.

Context Most Pages Skip

Understanding the history of AIDS requires separating the virus from the syndrome it causes. HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) is a retrovirus that gradually weakens the immune system by destroying CD4 cells, which coordinate the body's defenses. AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) is the most advanced stage of HIV infection, defined by severe immune damage or the appearance of opportunistic infections. The distinction matters because modern treatment can stop HIV from ever reaching AIDS. This guide traces how HIV was discovered, how AIDS was defined, and how treatment transformed the prognosis from a death sentence to a manageable chronic condition.

Related Questions

⚕️ This page is educational and does not replace advice from a licensed clinician. If you may have been exposed to an STI, get tested — most infections are manageable, and many are fully curable.

Sources & Further Reading

Figures reflect CDC surveillance and WHO estimates; they are population statistics, not personal risk predictions.