Human Immunodeficiency Virus, or HIV consists of two species of the Lentivirus, which is part of a subgroup of retrovirus. Once contracted, HIV takes between 9 and 11 years to fully manifest itself inside the host. If/once that happens, the host then has AIDS, or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome. AIDS causes an auto-immune disease that will eventually kill the host. There is no cure for AIDS, but there are treatments for HIV that, if taken at the right time, can prevent the transition to AIDS. HIV attacks the immune system, killing off millions of helpful cells to the body. These cells are called the CD4+ T cells. Once their levels are too low, the person with HIV is then susceptible to even the most simple of ailments. Many AIDS patients end up dying, not because of AIDS itself, but from some other trivial illness that they cannot fight off, like the common cold.
HIV and AIDS mainly affects the LGBTQ+ community and IV drug users. The disease is spread via unprotected sex, blood-to-blood contact, dirty needles, and breastfeeding. With that said, anyone can contract HIV, and eventually AIDS, if not treated. As of 2018, there were 1.7 million new cases of HIV throughout the world, bringing the total number of people living with HIV up to 37.9 million. The symptoms of HIV are similar to that of the common flu when first infected. As time goes on, however, the patient may develop a fever and enlarged lymph nodes and weight loss.