What is AIDS?

AIDS stands for acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

AIDS is the result of damage to the immune system. A damaged immune system is unable to protect the body against certain specific 'opportunistic' infections and tumours.

These infections and tumours are called opportunistic because they are caused by organisms normally controlled by the immune system, but that 'take the opportunity' to cause disease when the immune system has been damaged.

The timing and types of clinical problems affecting persons with AIDS can vary widely and this is why it is termed a syndrome. AIDS is a collection of different signs and symptoms that are all part of the same underlying medical condition, human immunodeficiency virus infection.