Final answer:
AIDS, or Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, is the advanced stage of HIV that results in severe damage to the immune system, leading to opportunistic infections and cancers that are often fatal.
Step-by-step explanation:
What is AIDS?
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is the late stage of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. When the immune system becomes severely damaged by HIV, the number of CD4+ T cells drops significantly. This stage is characterized by the body's inability to effectively combat infections and diseases. AIDS is not a single disease; it represents a spectrum of conditions that result from the immune system's damage. Patients with AIDS are vulnerable to opportunistic infections and cancers, which are typically the cause of death in affected individuals.
Without treatment, HIV progresses to AIDS, often several years after the initial infection. The disease is predominantly transmitted through sexual contact, blood transfusions, and from mother to child during childbirth or breastfeeding. While there is currently no cure for HIV, antiretroviral treatments can delay the progression of the disease into AIDS for many years.