AIDS is an illness of the immune system. It stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.
·        AIDS is caused by a virus, known as HIV. You can get this virus from someone who is infected. It is transmitted in several ways.
·        Symptoms can occur just a few months after HIV infection, but it can also take up to 10 years before you notice anything.
·        There is no cure for AIDS yet. There are drugs that slow down the damage to the immune system, helping some people with AIDS to live longer and healthier lives. But there are many problems associated with these drugs.

What diseases affect people with AIDS?

Can I get AIDS from talking or shaking hands?

See also: ways the virus is transmitted (HIV)