Question about HIV/AIDS?

when someone contracts HIV...... is it a safe bet to say that they are going to develop AIDS? and therefore die earlier?

or with treatment, are they able to live as long as their peers?

Most people who contract HIV will develop AIDS at some point. There have been a few exceptions. For example, Magic Johnson currently has no detectable virus in his blood, and lives a healthy life 15+ years after contract HIV. Of course, he can afford the best medication out there. Also, this isn't to say that he will never develop AIDS, but most people would have progressed faster than this.

I also do think it is safe to say that people who contract HIV will have a significantly shorter lifespan than their peers.

HIV almost always goes to AIDS at some point - it's when is the question. HIV is not deadly. it has annoying and embarrassing symptoms, but it isn't deadly. HIV, if treated early and often enough, can be delayed in it's transition to AIDS long enough for the person to live a long enough life. Sometimes people die, old, before AIDS sets in.

But yes, it's a safe bet.

I think if they catch HIV earlier enough, there are meds that can help it from becoming full-blown AIDS, but it's not always successful. With treatment, usually the shotgun method (meds for everything) someone with AIDS can lead a relatively normal, long-ish life, but usually not as long as their peers. It depends on how long they have it, how they respond to treatment and such.

Well why they will probley not live as long as most of their peers. With A LOT of medical care, and a life of taking A LOT of pills, most of which make you sick, they can live a pretty long life. For example Magic Johnson contracted HIV, and he is still alive and living a happy life.

Once you contract HIV, with proper nutrition, care, and medication, you can delay onset of AIDS for an unknown amount of years. Therapy advances keep extending that period, so it really isn't a determined number of years. But from what I understand, eventually the disease will deteriorate to AIDS, making you far more vulnerable to an opportunistic infection your body can't fight off and resulting in death.

The important thing to remember is that there is no "official" timeline of how long you can live with HIVAIDS. Many many factors come into play and advances are made each day.

Just on a side note, just because you don't have HIVAIDS doesn't mean you won't get hit by a bus.

ok well hiv/aids is not the same disease it was about 30-40 years ago. pharmacuticals have developed many treatments
for the disease. Many of these treatments have little or no side affects. Some that do have side affects consists of drowsiness or rash. As for the life span if some one who has hiv/aids takes their recommended medinine they can live a long healthy life. Just look at Magic Johnson! And yes he has hiv And no i am not making a rumor or spreadeing lies.