Type 2 diabetes has 2 causes: genetics (mutation in a gene or genes) and/or lifestyle poor choices (overweight, etc.), whereas AIDS is a result of being infected by a virus called HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). There's also a huge difference in how they are treated. Type 2 diabetics take medicine to help them monitor their sugar levels, they have to be careful about their diet and they have to exercise. HIV/AIDS patients have to take medicines that work to try and keep the HIV virus from replicating in their blood (T-cells) and to avoid getting sick - their immune system is seriously depressed.