HIV AIDS INFORMATION

HIV-Positive people should never lose heart. Breakthroughs in HIV medicine are happening every moment. The day is not far when you shall learn that HIV is conquered. So get your mindset strong. For the present learn to live with HIV.

What is HIV?
HIV is a virus, like the virus which cause flu or cold.

A virus is really nothing but a set of instructions for making new viruses, wrapped up in some fat, protein and sugar.

Without living cells, a virus can't do anything - it's like a brain with no body. In order to make more viruses (and to do all of the other nasty things that viruses do), a virus has to infect a cell.

HIV mostly infects T-cells, also known as CD4+ cells, or T-helper cells. These cells are white blood cells that turn the immune system on to fight disease. Once inside the cell, HIV starts producing millions of little viruses, which eventually kill the cell and then go out to infect other cells.

What is AIDS?
AIDS stands for 'Acquired Immuno Deficiency Syndrome'. It is a condition caused by a virus called HIV.

This virus attacks the immune system, the body's "security force" that fights off infections. When the immune system breaks down, you lose this protection and can develop many serious, often deadly infections and cancers. These are called "opportunistic infections" because they take advantage of the body's weakened defenses.

HIV virus by itself does not cause death. It is the opportunistic infections that cause death. AIDS is the condition that lets the opportunistic infections take hold.