🧬 Early diagnosis prevents AIDS:
If HIV is recognised and treated in time, AIDS does not usually develop.
🧪 „Aids test“ means HIV test:
This almost always refers to an HIV test that detects the virus long before AIDS.
💊 Therapy stops the effects of Aids:
HIV drugs strengthen the immune system and reduce the incidence of many AIDS-related illnesses.
🛡️ Safer sex protects against AIDS:
condoms and PrEP and prevent HIV transmission - and thus AIDS.
The history of Aids
The HI virus was discovered in 1983 and identified as the cause of Aids in the same year. For a long time, HIV was a fatal diagnosis - because an effective treatment option for HIV to prevent Aids only came much later (the so-called "antiretroviral therapy", which was introduced in 1996). Thanks to ever-improving therapies, nobody in Germany has to suffer from AIDS today. HIV is now a chronic disease that is easy to treat. Detailed information and background information on the history of HIV and Aids can be found at on Magazin.hiv, the online magazine of Deutsche Aidshilfe.
How does AIDS develop?
Aids is caused by an untreated HIV infection. The virus attacks the defence cells and gradually weakens the immune system. Without medication, the body can no longer fight off pathogens or tumour cells.
Typical AIDS diseases then develop - for example pneumonia, fungal infections or certain types of cancer.
When do we speak of Aids?
Aids is the term used when HIV has damaged the immune system to such an extent that certain diseases occur. These include, among others:
- Pneumocystis pneumonia (special pneumonia)
- Fungal infestation of the oesophagus
- Tumours such as Kaposi's sarcoma or lymphomas
The blood value of the helper cells (CD4 cells) is also decisive: if it is below 200 per microlitre, this is referred to as AIDS.
AIDS test
You can only find out whether you are HIV-positive with a HIV test to find out. Many people call this an "Aids test", which is not entirely correct. An HIV test usually detects HIV antibodies, even if Aids has not yet broken out. If a test is positive, you can start HIV treatment and thus prevent the outbreak of AIDS. Today, you can live well and for a long time with HIV.
More on the topic of HIV & health
Questions and answers?
Aids is the late stage of an HIV infection. The immune system is so severely weakened that the body can no longer fight off certain infections and tumours. Without treatment, these diseases can become life-threatening.
You don't get Aids straight away. First you become infected with HIV. If this infection remains untreated for a long time, HIV weakens the immune system to such an extent that AIDS develops.
With an untreated HIV infection, around half of people develop AIDS after around ten years. Some earlier, some later. Timely HIV treatment reliably prevents the outbreak.
Typical AIDS diseases are, for example, certain pneumonia (pneumocystis), fungal infections of the oesophagus or tumours such as Kaposi's sarcoma and lymphomas. They are considered "AIDS-defining diseases".
Yes, HIV medication can stop the virus from replicating. The immune system recovers and many AIDS symptoms disappear. However, HIV remains in the body, but the therapy enables a long, healthy life.
Even if AIDS has already broken out, treatment can stabilise the immune system and significantly improve symptoms. Those who start HIV medication early now have an almost normal life expectancy.
So far there is no cure. Research is being conducted worldwide and individual cases have raised hopes. However, today's drugs are so effective that people with HIV can live healthy lives - without developing AIDS.
Blog posts about HIV and Aids
Exciting articles and voices from the community: find out more about everyday life with HIV, prevention methods and personal experiences.
Materials to inform and share
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