Chapter 30.15, Problem 3MQ

Summary Introduction

The definition of AIDS is acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and the definition of HIV is human immunodeficiency virus. In humans, AIDS is a diseased condition caused by HIV, which may lead to progressive failure of the immune system. This ultimately results in cancer and other life-threatening opportunistic infections.

Globally, about 34 million people have died because of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and almost 80 million people have been infected with HIV. In the United States (US), about 5 cases have been diagnosed with HIV in 1981, over 1.1 million people are infected with HIV at present.