Final answer:
HIV is the human immunodeficiency virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), and it is not a malignancy, a drug, a test, or a type of lymphoma. It is transmitted via sexual contact and other body fluids and can lead to AIDS if left untreated. The correct answer is options C.
Step-by-step explanation:
HIV, which stands for human immunodeficiency virus, is a virus that causes AIDS, known as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Being a sexually transmitted virus, HIV is spread through contact with infected body fluids including blood, semen, breast milk, and vaginal secretions, as well as from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding. Without treatment, HIV can destroy the immune system over time and lead to AIDS, which is the stage of infection where the body can no longer fend off diseases that a healthy immune system could resist.
The introduction of antiretroviral drugs has transformed HIV from a fatal disease to a manageable chronic condition for many people.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question is that HIV is c. The virus that causes AIDS.