Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHIVWhen It’s DiagnosedDefining ConditionsTreatment and OutcomesUse of the TermPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
HIV
When It’s Diagnosed
Defining Conditions
Treatment and Outcomes
Use of the Term
Prevention
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is the most advanced stage ofhuman immunodeficiency virus (HIV)infection. At this point, the virus has infected and killed so many immune cells that theimmune systemis severely impaired.
AIDS does not occur in everyone with HIV, but it can if HIV is left untreated. Without defenses to ward off disease, a person with AIDS can develop severe and potentially life-threatening infections.
This article takes a closer look at how HIV causes AIDS and the conditions and risks associated with this late stage of infection. It also explains how to avoid AIDS if you or a loved one are diagnosed with HIV.
2:51Understanding HIV and AIDS
2:51
Understanding HIV and AIDS
HIV Can Cause AIDS
They also play a role inadaptive immunity, which is the body’s targeted response to a specific invader, like HIV.
HIV is classified as aretrovirus, a rare type of virus that is able to insert its genetic material into the cells it infects. By doing so, the virus can “hijack” a cell’s genetic machinery and turn it into an HIV-producing factory.
As HIV targets more CD4 T cells, the body becomes less able to mount an immune defense. When this happens, infections that the immune system would otherwise be able to control can cause disease. These are referred to as opportunistic infections.
RecapHIV is a virus that attacks the CD4 T-cells, white blood cells that help your immune system fight off disease. As more of these cells are killed, the body becomes less able to defend itself against infection. Left untreated, HIV will progress to AIDS.
Recap
HIV is a virus that attacks the CD4 T-cells, white blood cells that help your immune system fight off disease. As more of these cells are killed, the body becomes less able to defend itself against infection. Left untreated, HIV will progress to AIDS.
How Is HIV Transmitted?
When Does HIV Turn Into AIDS?
The bulk of serious opportunistic infections occurs when the number of CD4 T cells drops below 200 cells per cubic millimeter (cells/mm3).By contrast, a normalCD4 countis between 500 and 1,200 (or higher).
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a revised definition of AIDS in 2014 that largely remains intact today. According to the CDC, a person with HIV is diagnosed with AIDS when:
How Fast Does HIV Progress to AIDS?
List of AIDS-Defining Conditions
AIDS-defining illnesses include opportunistic infections (which are less common in people with a fully functioning immune system) and cancers. These illnesses are life-threatening to people with HIV.
The CDC lists 27 differentAIDS-defining conditionsin people with HIV:
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of HIV?
How Treatment Impacts Life Expectancy
During the height of the epidemic in the United States, HIV was the eighth leading cause of death overall. By the mid-1990s, it accounted for 23% of deaths among men ages 25 to 44 and 11% of deaths among women of the same age group.
People with HIV who arediagnosedand treated early can expect to livenormal to near-normal life expectancies.Without treatment, people diagnosed with AIDS survive for an average of two years.
Even people clinically diagnosed with AIDS can benefit from antiretroviral treatment. With that said, the lower your CD4 count is at the start of therapy, the less likely you will be to achieve immune recovery.
RecapWithout treatment, people diagnosed with AIDS survive for an average of two years. By contrast, if HIV is diagnosed and treated early, people can live as long as those without HIV or close to it.
Without treatment, people diagnosed with AIDS survive for an average of two years. By contrast, if HIV is diagnosed and treated early, people can live as long as those without HIV or close to it.
Annual New HIV Infections and Deaths
Use of the Term “AIDS”
Since the last revision of the list of AIDS-defining conditions was issued in 2008, the CDC definition of AIDS has remained largely unchanged. What has changed is how the definition is used.
In the past, the CDC’s definition of AIDS was used to establish eligibility for Social Security disability and other forms of financial or medical assistance. Because an AIDS diagnosis was associated with a high risk of death, having a CD4 count of 200 was often enough to establish permanent disability.
Healthcare providers are using the term “AIDS” less today—in part because the prognosis for many AIDS-related conditions has improved.
Furthermore, AIDS remains a highly stigmatized term, and, in its place, many healthcare providers and advocates prefer the term “advanced HIV infection” when describing the disease stage.
RecapWhen the definition of AIDS was first issued, it was used in part to ensure that people who were nearing the end of their lives had access to Social Security disability. That concern no longer applies today given that people treated for HIV can live long, healthy lives.
When the definition of AIDS was first issued, it was used in part to ensure that people who were nearing the end of their lives had access to Social Security disability. That concern no longer applies today given that people treated for HIV can live long, healthy lives.
AIDS Prevention
Antiretroviral therapy is the one intervention that can halt disease progression and reduce the risk of HIV-associated illnesses in people with HIV.
The medications used to treat HIV require that you take them consistently. For the majority of drugs used to treat the disease, this means taking one or more pills every day.
In 2021, a once-monthly injectable therapy calledCabenuva (cabotegravir + rilpivirine)was approved for use in the United States. It was later approved for every two-month dosing.The new form of treatment, which requires two separate injections every month or every two months, is able to suppress the virus as effectively as taking oral HIV drugs every day.
Of the roughly 1.2 million people living with HIV in the United States, only 66% receive HIV-specific care and less than 60% have achieved complete viral suppression while on treatment. This leaves nearly a half million people vulnerable to otherwise avoidable illnesses.
RecapIf you have HIV, the onlyway to avoid getting AIDS is to start antiretroviral therapy. Most therapies are taken once daily, but a new injectable therapy called Cabenuva only requires two separate injections once per month or every other month.
If you have HIV, the onlyway to avoid getting AIDS is to start antiretroviral therapy. Most therapies are taken once daily, but a new injectable therapy called Cabenuva only requires two separate injections once per month or every other month.
Summary
AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV infection. It occurs when the virus severely compromises the body’s immune defenses, leaving the body vulnerable to an ever-widening range of potentially life-threatening infections.
AIDS is diagnosed either when a person’s CD4 count drop below 200 or they get one of 27 different AIDS-defining conditions. AID-defining conditions are illnesses that rarely occur outside of people with AIDS.
If left untreated, people with AIDS will usually die within two years of their diagnosis. By contrast, people diagnosed and treated early for HIV can live a long, healthy lives.
19 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Revised surveillance case definition for HIV infection–United States, 2014.MMWR Recomm Rep. 2014;63(RR-03):1-10.Naif HM.Pathogenesis of HIV infection.Infect Dis Rep.2013;5(Suppl 1):e6. doi:10.4081/idr.2013.s1.e6Justiz AA, Naik R.HIV-1 associated opportunistic infections. In:StatPearls [Internet].Battistini Garcia SA, Guzman N.Acquired immune deficiency syndrome. In:StatPearls [Internet].MedlinePlus.CD4 lymphocyte count.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Appendix A: AIDS-defining conditions.Morbid Mortal Weekly Rep MMWR.Tseng A, Seet J, Phillips EJ.The evolution of three decades of antiretroviral therapy: challenges, triumphs and the promise of the future.Br J Clin Pharmacol.2015;79(2):182-94. doi:10.1111/bcp.12403Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Updated: mortality attributable to HIV infection among persons aged 25-44 – United States.Morbid Mortal Weekly Rep MMWR.Brady MT, Oleske JM, Williams PL, et al.Declines in mortality rates and changes in causes of death in HIV-1-infected children during the HAART era.J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2010;53(1):86-94. doi:10.1097/QAI.0b013e3181b9869fMarcus JL, Chao CR, Leyden WA, et al.Narrowing the gap in life expectancy between HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected individuals with access to care.J Acquir Immun Defic.2016;73(1):39-46. doi:10.1097/QAI.0000000000001014Poorlajal J, Hooshmand E, Mahjub H, Esmailnasab N, Jenabi E.Survival rate of AIDS disease and mortality in HIV-infected patients: a meta-analysis.Public Health. 2016;139:3-12. doi:10.1016/j.puhe.2016.05.004Darraj M, Shafer LA, Chan S, Kasper K, Keynan Y.Rapid CD4 decline prior to antiretroviral therapy predicts subsequent failure to reconstitute despite HIV viral suppression.J Infect Public Health. 2018;11(2):265-9. doi:10.1016/j.jiph.2017.08.001Chao C, Leyden W, Xu L, et al.Exposure to antiretroviral therapy and risk of cancer in HIV-infected persons.AIDS.2012;26(17):2223-31. doi:10.1097/QAD.0b013e32835935b3INSIGHT START Study Group, Lungren JD, Babiker AG, Gordin F, et al.Initiation of antiretroviral therapy in early asymptomatic HIV infection.N Engl J Med. 2015;373(9):795-807. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1506816Social Security Administration.Providing medical evidence for individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.POZ Magazine.Is it time for an end of ‘AIDS’?GSKPro.com.Highlights of prescribing information: CABENUVA (cabotegravir extended-release injectable suspension; rilpivirine extended-release injectable suspension).Food and Drug Administration.FDA approves first extended-release, injectable drug regimen for adults living with HIV.HIV.gov.What is the HIV care continuum?
19 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Revised surveillance case definition for HIV infection–United States, 2014.MMWR Recomm Rep. 2014;63(RR-03):1-10.Naif HM.Pathogenesis of HIV infection.Infect Dis Rep.2013;5(Suppl 1):e6. doi:10.4081/idr.2013.s1.e6Justiz AA, Naik R.HIV-1 associated opportunistic infections. In:StatPearls [Internet].Battistini Garcia SA, Guzman N.Acquired immune deficiency syndrome. In:StatPearls [Internet].MedlinePlus.CD4 lymphocyte count.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Appendix A: AIDS-defining conditions.Morbid Mortal Weekly Rep MMWR.Tseng A, Seet J, Phillips EJ.The evolution of three decades of antiretroviral therapy: challenges, triumphs and the promise of the future.Br J Clin Pharmacol.2015;79(2):182-94. doi:10.1111/bcp.12403Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Updated: mortality attributable to HIV infection among persons aged 25-44 – United States.Morbid Mortal Weekly Rep MMWR.Brady MT, Oleske JM, Williams PL, et al.Declines in mortality rates and changes in causes of death in HIV-1-infected children during the HAART era.J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2010;53(1):86-94. doi:10.1097/QAI.0b013e3181b9869fMarcus JL, Chao CR, Leyden WA, et al.Narrowing the gap in life expectancy between HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected individuals with access to care.J Acquir Immun Defic.2016;73(1):39-46. doi:10.1097/QAI.0000000000001014Poorlajal J, Hooshmand E, Mahjub H, Esmailnasab N, Jenabi E.Survival rate of AIDS disease and mortality in HIV-infected patients: a meta-analysis.Public Health. 2016;139:3-12. doi:10.1016/j.puhe.2016.05.004Darraj M, Shafer LA, Chan S, Kasper K, Keynan Y.Rapid CD4 decline prior to antiretroviral therapy predicts subsequent failure to reconstitute despite HIV viral suppression.J Infect Public Health. 2018;11(2):265-9. doi:10.1016/j.jiph.2017.08.001Chao C, Leyden W, Xu L, et al.Exposure to antiretroviral therapy and risk of cancer in HIV-infected persons.AIDS.2012;26(17):2223-31. doi:10.1097/QAD.0b013e32835935b3INSIGHT START Study Group, Lungren JD, Babiker AG, Gordin F, et al.Initiation of antiretroviral therapy in early asymptomatic HIV infection.N Engl J Med. 2015;373(9):795-807. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1506816Social Security Administration.Providing medical evidence for individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.POZ Magazine.Is it time for an end of ‘AIDS’?GSKPro.com.Highlights of prescribing information: CABENUVA (cabotegravir extended-release injectable suspension; rilpivirine extended-release injectable suspension).Food and Drug Administration.FDA approves first extended-release, injectable drug regimen for adults living with HIV.HIV.gov.What is the HIV care continuum?
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Revised surveillance case definition for HIV infection–United States, 2014.MMWR Recomm Rep. 2014;63(RR-03):1-10.Naif HM.Pathogenesis of HIV infection.Infect Dis Rep.2013;5(Suppl 1):e6. doi:10.4081/idr.2013.s1.e6Justiz AA, Naik R.HIV-1 associated opportunistic infections. In:StatPearls [Internet].Battistini Garcia SA, Guzman N.Acquired immune deficiency syndrome. In:StatPearls [Internet].MedlinePlus.CD4 lymphocyte count.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Appendix A: AIDS-defining conditions.Morbid Mortal Weekly Rep MMWR.Tseng A, Seet J, Phillips EJ.The evolution of three decades of antiretroviral therapy: challenges, triumphs and the promise of the future.Br J Clin Pharmacol.2015;79(2):182-94. doi:10.1111/bcp.12403Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Updated: mortality attributable to HIV infection among persons aged 25-44 – United States.Morbid Mortal Weekly Rep MMWR.Brady MT, Oleske JM, Williams PL, et al.Declines in mortality rates and changes in causes of death in HIV-1-infected children during the HAART era.J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2010;53(1):86-94. doi:10.1097/QAI.0b013e3181b9869fMarcus JL, Chao CR, Leyden WA, et al.Narrowing the gap in life expectancy between HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected individuals with access to care.J Acquir Immun Defic.2016;73(1):39-46. doi:10.1097/QAI.0000000000001014Poorlajal J, Hooshmand E, Mahjub H, Esmailnasab N, Jenabi E.Survival rate of AIDS disease and mortality in HIV-infected patients: a meta-analysis.Public Health. 2016;139:3-12. doi:10.1016/j.puhe.2016.05.004Darraj M, Shafer LA, Chan S, Kasper K, Keynan Y.Rapid CD4 decline prior to antiretroviral therapy predicts subsequent failure to reconstitute despite HIV viral suppression.J Infect Public Health. 2018;11(2):265-9. doi:10.1016/j.jiph.2017.08.001Chao C, Leyden W, Xu L, et al.Exposure to antiretroviral therapy and risk of cancer in HIV-infected persons.AIDS.2012;26(17):2223-31. doi:10.1097/QAD.0b013e32835935b3INSIGHT START Study Group, Lungren JD, Babiker AG, Gordin F, et al.Initiation of antiretroviral therapy in early asymptomatic HIV infection.N Engl J Med. 2015;373(9):795-807. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1506816Social Security Administration.Providing medical evidence for individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.POZ Magazine.Is it time for an end of ‘AIDS’?GSKPro.com.Highlights of prescribing information: CABENUVA (cabotegravir extended-release injectable suspension; rilpivirine extended-release injectable suspension).Food and Drug Administration.FDA approves first extended-release, injectable drug regimen for adults living with HIV.HIV.gov.What is the HIV care continuum?
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Revised surveillance case definition for HIV infection–United States, 2014.MMWR Recomm Rep. 2014;63(RR-03):1-10.
Naif HM.Pathogenesis of HIV infection.Infect Dis Rep.2013;5(Suppl 1):e6. doi:10.4081/idr.2013.s1.e6
Justiz AA, Naik R.HIV-1 associated opportunistic infections. In:StatPearls [Internet].
Battistini Garcia SA, Guzman N.Acquired immune deficiency syndrome. In:StatPearls [Internet].
MedlinePlus.CD4 lymphocyte count.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Appendix A: AIDS-defining conditions.Morbid Mortal Weekly Rep MMWR.
Tseng A, Seet J, Phillips EJ.The evolution of three decades of antiretroviral therapy: challenges, triumphs and the promise of the future.Br J Clin Pharmacol.2015;79(2):182-94. doi:10.1111/bcp.12403
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Updated: mortality attributable to HIV infection among persons aged 25-44 – United States.Morbid Mortal Weekly Rep MMWR.
Brady MT, Oleske JM, Williams PL, et al.Declines in mortality rates and changes in causes of death in HIV-1-infected children during the HAART era.J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2010;53(1):86-94. doi:10.1097/QAI.0b013e3181b9869f
Marcus JL, Chao CR, Leyden WA, et al.Narrowing the gap in life expectancy between HIV-infected and HIV-uninfected individuals with access to care.J Acquir Immun Defic.2016;73(1):39-46. doi:10.1097/QAI.0000000000001014
Poorlajal J, Hooshmand E, Mahjub H, Esmailnasab N, Jenabi E.Survival rate of AIDS disease and mortality in HIV-infected patients: a meta-analysis.Public Health. 2016;139:3-12. doi:10.1016/j.puhe.2016.05.004
Darraj M, Shafer LA, Chan S, Kasper K, Keynan Y.Rapid CD4 decline prior to antiretroviral therapy predicts subsequent failure to reconstitute despite HIV viral suppression.J Infect Public Health. 2018;11(2):265-9. doi:10.1016/j.jiph.2017.08.001
Chao C, Leyden W, Xu L, et al.Exposure to antiretroviral therapy and risk of cancer in HIV-infected persons.AIDS.2012;26(17):2223-31. doi:10.1097/QAD.0b013e32835935b3
INSIGHT START Study Group, Lungren JD, Babiker AG, Gordin F, et al.Initiation of antiretroviral therapy in early asymptomatic HIV infection.N Engl J Med. 2015;373(9):795-807. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa1506816
Social Security Administration.Providing medical evidence for individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection.
POZ Magazine.Is it time for an end of ‘AIDS’?
GSKPro.com.Highlights of prescribing information: CABENUVA (cabotegravir extended-release injectable suspension; rilpivirine extended-release injectable suspension).
Food and Drug Administration.FDA approves first extended-release, injectable drug regimen for adults living with HIV.
HIV.gov.What is the HIV care continuum?
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