What is a Retrovirus & AIDS??
HIV is a special type of virus known as a retrovirus. Retroviruses spread by breaking down the DNA in our cells and then reassembling it to make copies of themselves. Retroviruses are challenging to treat as they can rapidly mutate (alter) into new strains of virus.
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) is a term that is used to describe the latter stages of HIV, when the immune system has stopped working and the person develops a life-threatening condition, such as pneumonia (infection of the lungs).
The term AIDS was first used by doctors when the exact nature of the HIV virus was not fully understood. However, the term is no longer widely used because it is too general to describe the many different conditions that can affect somebody with HIV. Specialists now prefer to use the terms advanced or late-stage HIV infection.