HIV/AIDS (Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Syndrome):
It is estimated that 600,000 to 900,000 people in the U.S. are infected with HIV, the cause of AIDS. An estimated 45,000 people get AIDS each year. HIV damages the cells in the immune system that fight off infections and diseases. As the virus gradually destroys these important cells, the immune system becomes less and less able to protect against illness. Certain life-threatening infections and cancers can then invade the body, causing serious illness and eventual death. However, HIV can live in an infected person's body for years before any signs of illness appear.
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