Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) started to appear in the United States around the 1970s. It did not take long for this newly discovered disease to become publically known and spread virally (Rushing 1). AIDS typically starts as the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which is a type of virus that attacks the body’s immune system. AIDS is a retrovirus that causes the body to become immunocompromised. This means the body attacks itself when it is unable to produce the proper lymphocytes to fight an infection (Rushing 1). Lymphocytes are cells in the body …show more content…
If HIV is treated before it progresses to AIDS, there is a chance of survival for the people who are infected. There are three steps during the progression of HIV to AIDS. It begins with the latency stage, which is the primary HIV infection. This stage begins two to four weeks after a person has come in contact with an infected person. The latency phase is the most opportune time for the virus to spread in the host (“HIV Basics). During this phase, there will be flu-like symptoms present such as fever, chills, and