AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) / Disease

Diseases & Conditions

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AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)

Synonyms of AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome

Disorder Subdivisions

AIDS Prodrome
AIDS related complex
AIDS-Related Complex (ARC)
ARC
Mini-AIDS
Wasting/Lymph Node Syndrome

General Discussion
AIDS is an infectious disorder that suppresses the normal function of the immune system. It is caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which destroys the body's ability to fight infections. Specific cells of the immune system that are responsible for the proper response to infections (T cells) are destroyed by this virus. Characteristically a person infected with HIV initially experiences no symptoms for a variable period of time. This may be followed by the development of persistent generalized swelling of the lymph nodes (AIDS-related lymphadenopathy). Eventually most patients infected with HIV experience a syndrome of symptoms that includes excessive fatigue, weight loss, and/or skin rashes.

The later stages of HIV infection are characterized by the progressive depression of T cells and repeated infections that can even occur during a course of antibiotic therapy for another infection (superinfections). People with AIDS are particularly vulnerable to opportunistic infections from bacteria that other people normally fight off. Pneumocystis carinii, which causes severe inflammation of the lungs (pneumonia), is a common infection that effects people with AIDS. Cancers (malignant neoplasms), and a wide variety of neurological abnormalities, most notably the AIDS dementia complex, may also occur. These neurological symptoms when of HIV infects the nervous system.
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Organizations related to AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)

AIDSinfo
PO Box 6303
Rockville MD 20849-6303
Phone #: 301-519-6616
800 #: 888-480-3739
e-mail: N/A
Home page: http://www.aidsinfo.nih.gov
American Social Health Association
P.O. Box 13827
Research Triangle Park NC 27709
Phone #: 919-361-8400
800 #: --
e-mail: info@ashastd.org
Home page: http://www.ashastd.org
Anemia Institute for Research and Education
151 Bloor Street West
Toronto, Ontario None M5S 1S4
Phone #: 416--96-9-7431
800 #: 877--99-2-6364
e-mail: info@anemiainstitute.org
Home page: http://www.anemiainstitute.org
CDC Business Responds to AIDS and Labor Responds to AIDS
Web Site on the Internet
None None None
Phone #: --
800 #: 800-458-5231
e-mail: blrs@cdcnac.org
Home page: http://www.brta-lrta.org
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Road NE
Atlanta GA 30333
Phone #: 404-639-3534
800 #: 800-311-3435
e-mail: http://www.cdc.gov/netinfo.htm
Home page: http://www.cdc.gov/
HIV/AIDS Treatment Information Service
P.O. Box 6303
Rockville MD 20849-6303
Phone #: 301-519-0459
800 #: 800-448-0440
e-mail: atis@hivatis.org
Home page: http://www.hivatis.org
Health Information Network
P.O. Box 30762
Seattle WA 98113
Phone #: 206-784-5655
800 #: --
e-mail: information@healthinfonetwork.org
Home page: http://www.healthinfonetwork.org
Hemophilia Federation of America
1405 West Pinhook Road
Lafayette LA 70503
Phone #: 337-261-9787
800 #: 800-203-9797
e-mail: s.swindle@cox-internet.com
Home page: http://www.hemophiliafed.org
Jack Miller Center for Peripheral Neuropathy
University of Chicago
Chicago IL 60637
Phone #: 773-702-5800
800 #: N/A
e-mail: information-millercenter@neurology.bsd.uchicago.edu
Home page: http://millercenter.uchicago.edu
MUMS (Mothers United for Moral Support, Inc) National Parent-to-Parent Network
150 Custer Court
Green Bay WI 54301-1243
Phone #: 920-336-5333
800 #: 877-336-5333
e-mail: mums@netnet.net
Home page: http://www.netnet.net/mums/
NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
6610 Rockledge Drive
Bethesda MD 20892-6612
Phone #: 301-496-5717
800 #: --
e-mail: N/A
Home page: http://www.niaid.nih.gov/
National Gay Task Force
80 Fifth Ave.
New York NY 10011
Phone #: --
800 #: --
e-mail: N/A
Home page: N/A
Sexuality Information and Education Council of the U.S.
130 West 42nd Street
New York NY 10036-7802
Phone #: 212-819-9770
800 #: --
e-mail: siecus@siecus.org
Home page: http://www.siecus.org
Sj?ldne Diagnoser / Rare Disorders Denmark
Frederiksholms Kanal 2, 3rd Floor
Copenhagen K None 1220
Phone #: 45 -33 -14 00 10
800 #: N/A
e-mail: mail@sjaeldnediagnoser
Home page: http://www.raredisorders.dk
amfAR (American Foundation for AIDS Research)
120 Wall Street
New York NY 10005-3902
Phone #: 212-806-1600
800 #: 800-392-6327
e-mail: webmaster@amfar.org
Home page: http://www.amfar.org

For a Complete Report

This is an abstract of a report from the National Organization for Rare Disorders, Inc. ? (NORD). A copy of the complete report can be obtained for a small fee by visiting the NORD website. The complete report contains additional information including symptoms, causes, affected population, related disorders, standard and investigational treatments (if available), and references from medical literature. For a full-text version of this topic, see http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdblist.html