HIV
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus, and just like so many other viruses, it thrives, multiplies and survives in a human body.
Once inside the human body, HIV attacks the defence mechanism called the immune system. The immune system helps the body to defend itself against diseases like Tuberculosis (TB), influenza and many other diseases. In other words, the immune system acts like the soldiers of the body providing it with necessary protection. HIV is dangerous because it targets these soldiers to render the body defenceless and weak.
People infected with HIV can live for a long time. While most live for about ten years, there are others who have lived for more than twenty years. These are the people who have used medication, practiced safe sex and tested for HIV at an earlier stage.
AIDS
AIDS (Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Syndrome) is a condition that results from HIV infection. Once HIV has eaten away the immune system, or the soldiers of the body, the body becomes vulnerable. The ability to fight other diseases vanishes. TB, flu, pneumonia and many other diseases now take the opportunity to attack. Once the person is in this stage, he is said to be suffering from AIDS. AIDS then, is an accumulation of many diseases once the body is rendered defenseless by HIV.