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HIV / AIDS

What is AIDS?

AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. It is not a disease but, rather, a diagnosis. The diagnosis is made based on the presence of certain conditions (such as a CD4 cell count that falls below 200) or particular infections, called “opportunistic infections,” from a pre-defined list defined by the Centers for Disease Control. It is usually considered to be the “end stage” of HIV infection and is usually diagnosed an average of 10-15 years after initial infection.

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