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H = Human
I = Immuno-deficiency
V = Virus
HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. A virus is nothing more than a particle of biological material that can replicate itself, but for this to happen the virus needs the assistance of living cells. Some viruses prefer plant cells others prefer animal cells. Many viruses are restricted to a specific type of cell in the human body, and the HI virus interacts with specific cells in the body’s immune system. The immune system is a collection of tissues and cells that patrol the body for invading agents. HIV infects certain cells of the immune system and systematically depletes the body’s defences. In this way the immune system is rendered deficient and the person becomes sick.
A = Acquired
I = Immune
D = Deficiency
S = Syndrome
If a person is infected with HIV he/she is said to be HIV positive. Eventually the virus is able to destroy the immune cells more quickly than they can be replaced, and the infected person begins to fall prey to opportunistic infections, i.e. tuberculosis or pneumonia, since the body’s natural defences have been severely weakened. The infected person is now said to have AIDS. AIDS is not necessarily a death sentence, but without treatment, a person in the developing world is usually expected to live for six to eight years from first being infected to developing full-blown AIDS.
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