Editing Misconceptions about HIV/AIDS (section)

==The relationship between HIV and AIDS==

===HIV is the same as AIDS===
HIV is an acronym for [[human immunodeficiency virus]], which is the virus that causes AIDS ([[acquired immunodeficiency syndrome]]). Contracting HIV can lead to the development of AIDS or stage 3 HIV, which causes serious damage to the immune system.{{medical citation needed|date=July 2023}} While this virus is the underlying cause of AIDS,<ref name="NIAID, 1994-2003"/> not all HIV-positive individuals have AIDS, as HIV can remain [[AIDS#Clinical latency|in a latent state]] for many years.{{medical citation needed|date=July 2023}} If undiagnosed or left untreated, HIV usually progresses to AIDS, defined as possessing a CD4+ lymphocyte count under 200 cells/μL or HIV infection plus co-infection with an AIDS-defining opportunistic infection. HIV cannot be cured, but it can be treated, and its transmission can be halted. Treating HIV [[Treatment as prevention|can prevent new infections]], which is the key to ultimately defeating AIDS.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.unicef.org/aids/index_fight.html|title=Children and HIV and AIDS – What is the relationship between HIV and AIDS and emergencies?|website=UNICEF|access-date=2018-09-30|archive-date=2017-09-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170921080320/https://www.unicef.org/aids/index_fight.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>