What is HIV? 1

What is HIV? ¹

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a virus that attacks the immune system. Your immune system protects you from germs that cause infections and make you sick. Once HIV is in your system, over time, it lowers the number of healthy immune cells (CD4 cells) that you have to fight the germs that cause infections.

When the number of healthy cells drops below a certain amount, you can get certain infections (called opportunistic infections). This is known as AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome). For some people it takes a long time for AIDS to develop, for others it takes less time.

Use ²

KALETRA is a prescription anti-HIV-1 medicine called a protease inhibitor that contains lopinavir and ritonavir. KALETRA is used with other anti-HIV-1 medicines to increase the chance of treatment response in people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) infection. It is not known if KALETRA is safe and effective in children under 14 days old.

KALETRA does not cure HIV-1 infection or AIDS and does not stop you from passing HIV-1 to others. You may still get opportunistic infections or other conditions that happen with HIV-1.