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The Difference between HIV Positive & AIDS

HIV (the human immunodeficiency virus) is the viral cause of the syndrome known as AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). Although everyone who develops AIDS is HIV-positive, not everyone is HIV-positive has developed AIDS.

  1. Infection

    • Acute HIV infection is the first stage of HIV infection. During this time, the body develops antibodies against the virus. Developing a detectable level of these antibodies (seroconversion) is the first point at which an infected person will test positive for HIV and occurs 1 to 6 months after infection.

    Effects

    • HIV targets the cells (lymphocytes) of the immune system, in particular CD4+ cells. As these cells are infected, they reproduce viral particles instead of copies of themselves because HIV has changed their genetic code.

    Latency

    • Latency is the phase during which an HIV-positive person experiences no symptoms. Although there are no evident symptoms, HIV is continuing to replicate within the body and the virus can still be transmitted to others.

    AIDS

    • AIDS is diagnosed in HIV-positive persons when CD4+ cell counts drop below 200 per milliliter of blood, when CD4+ cells are less than 14 percent of lymphocytes, or when an AIDS-defining illness, such as thrush, Pneumocystis pneumonia, or Kaposi's sarcoma appears (see link in References).

    Treatment

    • A group of drugs known as antiretrovirals are used to target different facets of HIV infection. They are most commonly taken as a group, a therapy called HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy); HAART may delay the onset of AIDS in HIV-positive persons.

    Considerations

    • HIV is a virus, while AIDS is a syndrome, which means a series of conditions. AIDS-defining illnesses occur in HIV-positive people only when the virus has depleted the immune response.

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