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Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

AIDS is a chronic, potentially life-threatening condition caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). By damaging your immune system, HIV interferes with your body's ability to fight the organisms that cause disease.

HIV is a sexually transmitted infection. It can also be spread by contact with infected blood, or from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth or breast-feeding. It can take years before HIV weakens your immune system to the point that you have AIDS.

There's no cure for HIV/AIDS, but there are medications that can dramatically slow the progression of the disease. These drugs have reduced AIDS deaths in many developed nations. But HIV continues to decimate populations in Africa, Haiti and parts of Asia.

Symptoms
References
  1. Basic information about HIV and AIDS. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/topics/basic/index.htm. Accessed May 11, 2011.
  2. HIV and its treatment. AIDSinfo. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://aidsinfo.nih.gov/contentfiles/HIVandItsTreatment_cbrochure_en.pdf. Accessed May 10, 2012.
  3. Kumar V, et al. Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, Professional Edition. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2009. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/202273019-4/0/2060/57.html?tocnode=57529567&fromURL=57.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4377-0792-2..50011-0--cesec96_437. Accessed May 10, 2012.
  4. Quinn TC. The global human immunodeficiency virus pandemic. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed May 10, 2012.
  5. Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2012: 5 Books in 1. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2012. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05611-3..00017-3--sc0185&isbn=978-0-323-05611-3&sid=1308572619&uniqId=334301681-3#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05611-3..00017-3--sc0185. Accessed May 11, 2012.
  6. Bartlett JG. The stages and natural history of HIV infection. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed May 10, 2012.
  7. Ferri FF. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2012: 5 Books in 1. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2012. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/page.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05611-3..00010-0--sc0075&isbn=978-0-323-05611-3&sid=1308590901&uniqId=334307705-3#4-u1.0-B978-0-323-05611-3..00010-0--sc0075. Accessed May 11, 2012.
  8. Living with HIV/AIDS. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/resources/brochures/livingwithhiv.htm. Accessed May 11, 2012.
  9. Neurological complications of AIDS fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/aids/detail_aids.htm. Accessed May 11, 2012.
  10. Bartlett JG. When to initiate antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected patients. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed May 10, 2012.
  11. Side effects of anti-HIV medications: Health information for patients. AIDSinfo. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://aidsinfo.nih.gov/contentfiles/SideEffectAnitHIVMeds_cbrochure_en.pdf. Accessed May 11, 2012.
  12. Eating defensively: Food safety advice for persons with AIDS. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ByAudience/ForPatientAdvocates/HIVandAIDSActivities/ucm135844.htm. Accessed May 11, 2012.
  13. Natural medicines in the clinical management of HIV/AIDS. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com. Accessed May 11, 2012.
  14. HIV/AIDS programs: Find HIV/AIDS care. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://hab.hrsa.gov/gethelp/index.html. Accessed May 11, 2012.
  15. Fourth generation HIV diagnostic test approved, permitting earlier detection of infection. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ByAudience/ForPatientAdvocates/HIVandAIDSActivities/ucm216409.htm. Accessed May 11, 2012.
  16. FDA approves first-of-its-kind HIV test which can detect HIV days earlier than current U.S. tests. Abbott Laboratories. http://www.abbott.com/news-media/press-releases/Press_Release_0875.htm. Accessed May 11, 2012.
  17. Smith K, et al. HIV-1 treatment as prevention: The good, the bad and the challenges. Current Opinion in HIV and AIDS. 2011;6:315.
  18. Sax PE. Primary HIV-1 infection: Pathogenesis; epidemiology and clinical manifestations. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed May 11, 2012.
  19. Stages of HIV. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.aids.gov/hiv-aids-basics/diagnosed-with-hiv-aids/hiv-in-your-body/stages-of-hiv/. Accessed May 11, 2012.
  20. Longo DL, et al. Harrison's Online. 18th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2012. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=9123335&searchStr=hiv#9123335. Accessed May 11, 2012.
  21. Guidelines for the use of antiretroviral agents in HIV-1-infected adults and adolescents. AIDSinfo. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. http://aidsinfo.nih.gov/guidelines/html/1/adult-and-adolescent-treatment-guidelines/0/. Accessed May 10, 2012.
  22. Daar ES, et al. Clinical presentation and diagnosis of primary HIV-1 infection. Current Opinion in HIV and AIDS. 2008;3:110.
  23. 23. Wyatt CM, et al. Recent progress in HIV-associated nephropathy. Annual Review of Medicine. 2012;63:147.
  24. Lerma EV, et al. Current Diagnosis & Treatment: Nephrology & Hypertension. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2009. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=6337038&searchStr=aids-associated+nephropathy#6337039. Accessed May 29, 2012.
  25. Longo DL, et al. Harrison's Online. 18th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2012. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=9130713&searchStr=aids-associated+nephropathy#9130713. Accessed May 29, 2012.
  26. Rizza SA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. May 24, 2012.
  27. Longo DL, et al. Harrison's Online. 18th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2012. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=9123385&searchStr=male+circumcision#9123385. Accessed May29, 2012.
  28. FDA approves first medication to reduce HIV risk. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm311821.htm. Accessed July 16, 2012.
DS00005 Aug. 11, 2012

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