What is AIDS?

AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.  AIDS is the advanced stage of HIV infection and occurs when the body is no longer able to fight off certain infections. These infections are normally not an issue for a person with a healthy immune system.

These infections are called “opportunistic infections” and include illnesses such as:

• Candida albicans (thrush – oral yeast infection)
• Staphylococcus aureus (common staph infection)
• Kaposi’s Sarcoma (a rare form of skin cancer)
• Pneumocystosis (a form of pneumonia)
• Shingles (adult onset chicken pox)

When HIV becomes AIDS

In Canada, a person is said to have AIDS when they have one or more opportunistic infections and the HIV virus. This may vary from country to country.  A person can become diagnosed with AIDS and with good care and medication options can become healthy again; however, HIV will still exist in the body.