What is the difference between AIDS and HIV??

Hi There,

This has actually been answered well by the above. Another way of saying it is that AIDS is the syndrome (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome); syndrome = a combination of signs and symptoms that indicate a particular disease and HIV is the etiological agent that causes it. AKA HIV can eventually cause you to get AIDS. Note I said eventually, and there are rare but few reported cases of HIV+ individuals that are infected but have never progressed to AIDS.

To say that someone has AIDS, certain criteria must be met. One of the most important is CD4+ <200 (CD4+ cells are cells used by our immune system, also called T-helper lymphocytes). Other criteria are opportunistic infections. Some common ones are candidiasis (fungal infection), CMV (cytomegalovirus), TB (Tuberculosis), MAC (Mycobacterium Avium Complex...related to TB), toxoplasmosis (protozoan infection), disseminated histoplasmosis (another fungus), cryptococcus (yet another fungus), Pneumocystis jirovecii (formerly known as Pneumocystis carinii (protozoa), odd cancers such as Kaposi's Sarcoma and Burkitt's Lymphoma etc etc etc.

Thus one might say that AIDS is the result of HIV and that HIV is the organism that causes this syndrome, and that the diagnosis of this syndrome done with certain criteria. I really hope this helps you.

Daniel

(R1 Resident)

HIV is the virus that damages the immune system by destroying the cells that help us fight infection. (called T cells or CD4 cells). When the CD4 count goes to 200 or below, diagnosis changes from HIV+ to AIDS, a condition which leaves people more vulnerable to other infections such as colds, flu, and pneumonia. The body can no longer fight off these infections.

AIDS is the name of a particular disease of the immune system. HIV is the name of the virus which causes it.

Just like pneumonia is the name of a particular disease of the lungs, and Streptococcus is the name of one of some of the bacteria that can cause it.

HIV is the main virus and when your helper Tcell count gets bellow 200 you have AIDS! Ha. Actually, thats not funny.