AIDS

AIDS refers to the most advanced stages of HIV infection. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines AIDS as being infected with HIV and having fewer than 200 CD4 and T cells per cubic millimeter of blood. (Healthy adults have CD4 and T cell counts of 1,000 or more). AIDS also includes 26 different conditions, some of which are called opportunistic infections (OIs), or infections that don't usually make a healthy person sick. People who have AIDS can have severe OIs, which can be fatal because their bodies can't fight off certain bacteria, viruses, and other microbes. People with AIDS are also more likely to develop cancers, such as Kaposi's sarcoma, cancer of the cervix (opening to the uterus or womb), and lymphomas (cancers of the immune system).

Symptoms of OIs common in people with AIDS include:

• Coughing and shortness of breath.
• Seizures and lack of coordination.
• Difficult or painful swallowing.
• Mental symptoms such as confusion and forgetfulness.
• Severe and persistent diarrhea.
• Fever.
• Loss of vision.
• Nausea, abdominal cramps, and vomiting.
• Weight loss and extreme fatigue.
• Severe headaches.
• Coma.