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HIV is a virus that targets and alters the immune system, increasing the risk and impact of other infections and diseases. Without treatment, the infection might progress to an advanced disease stage called AIDS. However, modern advances in treatment mean that people living with HIV in countries with good access to healthcare very rarely develop AIDS once they are receiving treatment. The life expectancy of a person who carries the HIV virus is now approaching that of a person that tests negative for the virus, as long as they adhere to a combination of medications called antiretroviral therapy (ART) on an ongoing basis. A Kaiser Permanente study in 2016 suggested that between 1996 and 2016, the gap in life expectancy between people who are HIV positive and HIV negative closed from 44 years to 12 years. The World Health Organization (WHO) also advises that a person living with HIV can resume a high quality of life with treatment, and that 20.9 million people worldwide were receiving ART as of mid-2017. In this article, we explain HIV and AIDS, their symptoms, causes, and treatments. What is HIV? While HIV is a life-changing illness, a person can live a long and full live with it. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a virus that attacks immune cells called CD4 cells, which are a type of T cell. These are white blood cells that move around the body, detecting faults and anomalies in cells as well as infections. When HIV targets and infiltrates these cells, it reduces the body's ability to combat other diseases. This increases the risk and impact of opportunistic infections and cancers. However, a person can carry HIV without experiencing symptoms for a long time. HIV is a lifelong infection. However, receiving treatment and managing the disease effectively can prevent HIV from reaching a severe level and reduce the risk of a person passing on the virus. What is AIDS? AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV infection. Once HIV infection develops into AIDS, infections and cancer pose a greater risk. Without treatment, HIV infection is likely to develop into AIDS as the immune system gradually wears down. However, advances in ART mean than an ever-decreasing number of people progress to this stage. By the close of 2015, around 1,122,900 people were HIV-positive. To compare, figures from 2016 show that medical professionals diagnosed AIDS in an estimated 18,160 people. Do more on your time, pickup in no time. Sponsored by CarMaxStart your paperwork from the comfort of home. Pickup your car in no time at CarMax. The way it should be. SEE MORE Causes People transmit HIV in bodily fluids, including: blood semen vaginal secretions anal fluids breast milk In the United States, the main causes of this transfer of fluids are: anal or vaginal intercourse with a person who has HIV while not using a condom or PrEP, a preventive HIV medication for people at high risk of infection sharing equipment for injectable illicit drugs, hormones, and steroids with a person who has HIV A woman living with HIV who is pregnant or has recently given birth might transfer the disease to her child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding. The risk of HIV transmitting through blood transfusions is extremely low in countries that have effective screening procedures in place for blood donations. Undetectable = untransmittable To transmit HIV, these fluids must contain enough of the virus. If a person has 'undetectable' HIV, they will not transmit HIV to another person, even if after a transfer of fluids. Undetectable HIV is when the amount of HIV in the body is so low that a blood test cannot detect it. People may be able to achieve undetectable levels of HIV by closely following the prescribed course of treatment Confirming and regularly monitoring undetectable status using a blood test is important, as this does not mean that the person no longer has HIV. Undetectable HIV relies on the person adhering to their treatment, as well as the effectiveness of the treatment itself. Progression to AIDS The risk of HIV progressing to AIDS varies widely between individuals and depends on many factors, including: the age of the individual the body's ability to defend against HIV access to high-quality,