1 Immune system and CD4 count

1.3 Definition of AIDS (SIDA)

---

AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

• Acquired – because it is largely an infection that people catch
• Immune – because it relates to your immune system
• Deficiency – because it reduces your immune system and makes it deficient
• Syndrome – because it describes a collection of different infections and illness caused by HIV

For many HIV-positive people the meaning of the words that make up AIDS do not mean very much until they are explained clearly.

SIDA is the abbreviation for AIDS in French, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese.