Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (A.I.D.S.) is a disease caused by a virus called human immunodeficiency virus (H.I.V.). HIV attacks the body's immune system. A healthy immune system is what keeps you from getting sick.

      AIDS attacks the boy’s immune system; so if a person gets sick, they will not get better. Most of the time, the person dies of cancer of an infection.

HIV can only be passed from person to person through body fluids, The most common ways HIV is passed are:

• By having unprotected sex with an infected person.
• By sharing needles and syringes for injecting drugs with an infected person

Symptoms

HIV and the Heart

     A connection between HIV and the heart has been discovered. Patients who test HIV-positive seem to have at greater risk of heart conditions rather than people who do not have HIV. Some of these conditions include pericarditis  (an inflammation of the pericardial sac around the heart) or pleural effusions (fluid between the lungs and the chest wall). Some medications, prescribed to save lives, may also have heart-related side effects.

AIDS Diagnosis & Tests

     The following is a list of AIDS-related infections and cancers that people with AIDS acquire as their CD4 (A glycoprotein predominantly found on the surface of helper T cells) count decreases. Previously, having HIV infection and acquiring one of these additional diseases defined having AIDS, but now it is simply defined as a CD4 count below 200. Many other illnesses and corresponding symptoms may develop in addition to those listed here.

Common with CD4 count below 350/ml

·      Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma -- cancer of the lymph glands

·      Tuberculosis - infection by the tuberculosis bacteria that predominately affects the lungs

·      Herpes zoster - ulcers over a discrete patch of skin caused by this virus

CD4 count below 200/ml

·      Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, "PCP pneumonia"

·      Candida esophagitis -- painful yeast infection of the esophagus

CD4 count below 100/ml

·      Cryptococcal meningitis - infection of the brain by this fungus.

·      AIDS Dementia - slowing of mental function caused by HIV itself.

·      Toxoplasmosis encephalitis - infection of the brain by this parasite. 

CD4 count below 50/ml

·      Mycobacterium Avium - a blood infection by a bacterium related to tuberculosis.

·      Cytomegalovirus infection - a viral infection that can affect almost any organ system, especially the eyes.

     Even today, there is no cure for AIDS. It has proven to be a fatal illness. However, most patients survive many years following diagnosis. Research continues in drug treatments and vaccine development