a term referring to subjects relating to both HIV and AIDS. HIV and AIDS are not synonymous terms; HIV is the retrovirus that causes AIDS to develop. Not all people that are HIV+ have AIDS, and people that are on treatment for HIV are far less likely to develop AIDS than those who are untreated.

There is no cure for either HIV or AIDS.

Because of the close relationship between HIV and AIDS, they are often referred to as “HIV/AIDS” together, as medical, social and policy interventions need to take both HIV and AIDS into account.

HIV/AIDS was previously known as GRID: gay-related immune deficiency, as it was thought to be a “gay disease” that only effected men who had sex with men. This was soon shown to be false, however, although the false perception remained for a long time afterwards.