For those on effective HIV treatments, the likelihood of receiving an AIDS diagnosis is very small. It’s possible to have HIV for many years before getting any of the illnesses usually associated with AIDS. If untreated, HIV weakens the immune system over time, leaving the person who has HIV open to other life-threatening infections.ĪIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome which refers to the range of specific illnesses that a person with HIV may get when their immune system becomes weakened by HIV. The virus affects the body’s immune system, its main defense against disease. HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus.
