ACQUIRED IMMUNODEFICIENCY SYNDROME (AIDS)

A chronic, potentially life threatening disease that is caused when the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) attacks the body’s immune system. AIDS is the late stage of HIV infection. It happens after the body’s immune system has been trashed and ravaged by HIV. While HIV can be controlled with certain drugs, which will usually keep it from turning into AIDS, there is no cure for HIV or AIDS and a person who gets it will have it for life. HIV is a sexually transmitted infection. It is easily transmitted during anal sex and by using a contaminated needle during an injection or drug abuse.