AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. A person who has HIV may be susceptible to diseases most healthy people can resist. People infected with HIV can look and feel healthy and may not even know that they are infected. Even though they don't look or feel sick, they can infect others. When symptoms do appear, they can be like those of many common illnesses, and may include swollen glands, fever, and diarrhea.
Symptoms vary from person to person.
None of the symptoms necessarily indicate HIV infection. At this time HIV cannot be cured. Scientists expect that finding a vaccine or a cure will take many more years of research. However, we can help prevent the spread of HIV infection by learning the facts about HIV and AIDS and acting on them to protect ourselves and others. It is not spread through casual contact.