How do you get it? Opportunistic infections CD4-cells Viral load test HIV Medication Adherence Resistance What are opportunistic infections or diseases? - AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) is a condition caused by the HIV virus. This virus attacks the immune system, which is the system that fights off infections in the body.
- When the immune system weakens, you lose this protection and can develop many serious, often deadly infections such as pneumonia and rare cancers such as Kaposi's Sarcoma.
- These are called "opportunistic infections" (OIs) because they take advantage of the body's weakened defences.
- People with a normal immune system would be able to fight off these illnesses, but someone with HIV is not. So he/she becomes very ill.
- You have heard it said that someone "died of AIDS." This is not entirely accurate, since it is the opportunistic infections that cause death. AIDS is the condition that lets them take hold.
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