HIV = Chronic Condition A chronic condition is a human health condition that is persistent or otherwise long-lasting in its effects. The term chronic is usually applied when the course of the condition lasts for more than three months (90 days). 1

HIV = Human Immunodeficiency Virus HIV is the virus that causes AIDS If you are “HIV-positive” it means you have HIV in your blood “PLWHA” stands for Person Living With HIV/AIDS HIVDefined 2

AIDS = Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Acquired means you get it from somewhere Immune Deficiency means a weakness in the body’s system that fights diseases Syndrome means a group of health problems that make up a disease 3

HIV / AIDS You don’t actually “get” AIDS. If you become infected with HIV, later on you might develop AIDS. Eventually HIV can make the immune system so weak that the person becomes ill from opportunistic infections, which are sometimes referred to as “OI’s.” Opportunistic infections in AIDS are caused by germs that live in or near the body and would not cause illness if the person had a healthy immune system. 4