AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) A person who has been
infected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is diagnosed
as having AIDS after developing one of the illnesses that the
Centers for Disease Control has identified as an indicator of
AIDS. An HIV-positive person who has not had any serious
illnesses also can receive an AIDS diagnosis based on certain
blood tests (CD4+ counts). When HIV weakens the immune system,
"opportunistic" infections can take advantage of this weakened
state and cause illness. Opportunistic infections include
Kaposi's sarcoma and pneumocystis carinii pneumonia. Many of
these illnesses are readily controlled by a healthy immune
system. Having been infected with HIV (being HIV positive and
having HIV antibodies in the blood) is not the same as having
AIDS. Persons who are infected with HIV may not know it. Some
people experience flu-like symptoms, such as fever, headache,
muscles and joints, stomachache, swollen lymph glands or a skin
rash that lasts one to two weeks. The