The acronym/term AIDS in full stands for acquired immune deficiency syndrome. This is used to mean a conglomeration of signs and symptoms associated with late HIV disease.
The internationally accepted full definition of AIDS has been compiled by the Centres for disease control Atlanta Georgia USA the content of which is included herein; Appendix 1.
However, the World Health Organisation (WHO) experts came up with a clinical definition for AIDS using signs and symptoms. These are grouped as major and/or minor signs; Appendix 2.
Presence of any one of the major signs is diagnostic of underlying HIV disease Combining one Major plus two or more of the minor signs makes a presumptive clinical diagnosis of AIDS.
It must be noted that such a clinical criteria can only be used by trained medical personnel to make a presumptive diagnosis and even then, after detailed examination of the person in question.
Likewise, the diagnosis of HIV infection as well as AIDS cannot be made in a person merely because of loss of a Partner and/or child due to AIDS. This is because on some occasions the infection may not necessarily be passed onto the partner despite intimate contact. Indeed, the issue of discordant couples is not uncommon in clinical practice.
