AIDS facts for kids

HIV virus going out of a cell

Red ribbon – the symbol of the fight against AIDS

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a disease caused by a virus called HIV.

• Acquired means that people are not born with the disease. They get it after being infected with the HIV virus.
• Immune or Immuno- talks about the immune system. The immune system is the part of the body that fights off disease.
• Deficiency means not enough. An immuno-deficiency is a problem where the immune system is damaged and cannot fight off diseases to keep the body healthy.
• Syndrome is a collection of symptoms, or problems in the body. Because the immune system is damaged, and cannot fight off disease, people with AIDS get a collection of symptoms which is referred to as the "Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome."

How many people have AIDS?

As of 2018, it is estimated that there are 39.7 million people worldwide infected with HIV. The HIV pandemic is most severe in Sub-Saharan Africa. Over 60% of all people with HIV live in the region.

Many people with HIV do not know they have it. Because of this, the exact number of people with HIV is unknown.

Images for kids

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  Scanning electron micrograph of HIV-1, colored green, budding from a cultured lymphocyte.

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  HIV replication cycle

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  A generalized graph of the relationship between HIV copies (viral load) and CD4+ T cell counts over the average course of untreated HIV infection.

    CD4+ T Lymphocyte count (cells/mm³)

    HIV RNA copies per mL of plasma
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  HIV Rapid Test being administered

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  Oraquick

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  AIDS Clinic, McLeod Ganj, Himachal Pradesh, India, 2010

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  Stribild – a common once-daily ART regime consisting of elvitegravir, emtricitabine, tenofovir and the booster cobicistat

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  Trends in new cases and deaths per year from HIV/AIDS

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  The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report reported in 1981 on what was later to be called "AIDS".

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  Left to right: the African green monkey source of SIV, the sooty mangabey source of HIV-2, and the chimpanzee source of HIV-1

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  Ryan White became a poster child for HIV after being expelled from school because he was infected.

See also

In Spanish: VIH/sida para niños