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HIV
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enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test antiretroviral drug T cell infected with HIV
How HIV and AIDS redefined the fight against infectious diseases
Hear American virologist Robert Gallo speaking about the prospects in the development of HIV vaccine
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HIV, AIDS, virus
HIV/AIDS: Just the Facts
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What’s the Difference Between HIV and AIDS?
Transmission electron micrograph of HIV-1 virus particles (red) budding and replicating from a segment of a chronically infected H9 cell (blue). Particles are in various stages of maturity; arc/semi-circles are immature particles that have started to form but are still part of the cell. Immature particles slowly change morphology into mature forms and exhibit the classic "conical or spherical-shaped core." Image captured at the NIAID Integrated Research Facility (IRF) in Fort Detrick, Maryland. (Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, AIDS)
Is There a Cure for HIV Infection?
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HIV

virus
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Also known as: human immunodeficiency virus
Written and fact-checked by
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human immunodeficiency virus

News •

Preventive care may no longer be free in 2026 because of HIV stigma • Apr. 15, 2025, 11:46 PM ET (Medical Xpress)
Worm eradication: A surprising ally in the fight against HIV • Apr. 10, 2025, 8:33 AM ET (Medical Xpress)
Could donated breast milk help HIV-exposed babies? • Apr. 8, 2025, 8:29 PM ET (CBC)
HIV prevention medicines could soon be over-the-counter in Georgia • Apr. 8, 2025, 12:56 AM ET (Medical Xpress)
Molecular stool test could improve detection of tuberculosis in adults with HIV • Apr. 5, 2025, 12:57 AM ET (Medical Xpress)

HIV, retrovirus that attacks and gradually destroys the immune system, leaving the host unprotected against infection. HIV is classified as a lentivirus (meaning “slow virus”). Persons who are infected with HIV often die from secondary infections or cancer. AIDS is the final stage of HIV infection. For detailed information on HIV and disease, see AIDS.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kara Rogers.