New to MyHealth?
Manage Your Care From Anywhere.
Access your health information from any device with MyHealth. You can message your clinic, view lab results, schedule an appointment, and pay your bill.
ALREADY HAVE AN ACCESS CODE?
DON'T HAVE AN ACCESS CODE?
NEED MORE DETAILS?
MyHealth for Mobile
Get the iPhone MyHealth app »
Get the Android MyHealth app »
HIV and AIDS
What are human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)?
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a virus that attacks the immune system, the body's natural defense system. Without a strong immune system, the body has trouble fighting off disease. Both the virus and the infection it causes are called HIV.
White blood cells are an important part of the immune system. HIV infects and destroys certain white blood cells called CD4+ cells. If too many CD4+ cells are destroyed, the body can no longer defend itself against infection.
HIV can be treated. Most of the time, treatment can prevent acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and help people live long, healthy lives.
If HIV is not treated, it will usually get worse over time and cause AIDS. AIDS is the most severe stage of HIV infection. In people who don't get treatment, it often takes 10 to 12 years for AIDS to develop. People who have AIDS have a low number of CD4+ cells. They get infections or cancers that rarely occur in healthy people. These can be deadly.
There are two types of HIV:
- HIV-1, which causes almost all the cases of AIDS worldwide.
- HIV-2, which causes an AIDS-like illness. HIV-2 infection is rare in North America.
Condition Spotlight
Clinical Trials for HIV and AIDS
Clinical trials are research studies that evaluate a new medical approach, device, drug, or other treatment. As a Stanford Health Care patient, you may have access to the latest, advanced clinical trials.
Open trials refer to studies currently accepting participants. Closed trials are not currently enrolling, but may open in the future.
Clinics for HIV and AIDS
HIV and AIDS
HIV/AIDS is transmitted through sexual contact, pregnancy, contact with infected blood and attacks the immune system, decreasing the ability to fight infection.
HIV and AIDS
Human immunodeficiency virus infection