“HIV” stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV is a lot like other viruses, including those that cause the “flu” or the common cold. But there is an important difference – over time, your immune system can clear most viruses out of your body. That isn’t the case with HIV – the human immune system can’t seem to get rid of it. That means that once you have HIV, you have it for life. that causes the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)
“AIDS” stands for Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. AIDS is the final stage of HIV infection, and not everyone who has HIV advances to this stage. People at this stage of HIV disease have badly damaged immune systems, which put them at risk for opportunistic infections.