Once the virus is inside your body, it can damage your immune system to the point where your body can no longer fend off diseases and infections. People who have the HIV virus is determined to be HIV-positive. Because the HIV virus can remain dormant inside your body for years before it becomes active, it is possible for a person to not even know he is infected with it. AIDS is the final in many stages of the HIV virus. At this point, the immune system is weakened to the point where it can no longer fight off even the mildest of diseases.
Death is typically soon to follow.
But there are treatments now available that can help HIV-positive people stay healthy longer. HIV can be passed on through semen and vaginal fluids. By sharing a hyperdermic needle or other object to inject drugs, vitamins or steroids into the bloodstream with someone who is HIV-positive. Also included are needles used to create tatoos and body piercing. HIV can be passed on though a person's blood.