HIV AIDS - acquired immunodeficiency syndrome - was first reported in the United States in 1981 and has since become a major worldwide epidemic. AIDS is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). By killing or damaging cells of the body's immune system, HIV progressively destroys the body's ability to fight infections and certain cancers. People diagnosed with AIDS may get life-threatening diseases called opportunistic infections, which are caused by microbes such as viruses or bacteria …showed first 75 words of 1041 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1041 total…years before the onset of AIDS include lack of energy weight loss frequent fevers and sweats persistent or frequent yeast infections (oral or vaginal) persistent skin rashes or flaky skin pelvic inflammatory disease in women that does not respond to treatment short-term memory loss Some people develop frequent and severe herpes infections that cause mouth, genital, or anal sores, or a painful nerve disease called shingles. Children may grow slowly or be sick a lot.