AIDS is a disease caused by a virus called HIV (short for human immunodeficiency virus). HIV attacks the body's immune system. When the immune system is hurt, it can no longer fight diseases the way it used to. It `s alternative names is acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

People with HIV seem to be healthy at first. But after several years, they begin to get sick. Often they get serious infections or cancers. When this happens__prolonged, unexplained fatigue; swollen glands (lymph nodes); fever lasting more than 10 days; chills and so on, they are diagnosed with AIDS. AIDS is the final and most serious stage of HIV disease. It is characterized by signs and symptoms of severe immune deficiency. The most common cause of death in people with AIDS is a type of pneumonia called pneumocystis carinii pneumonia or PCP.

There is no cure for AIDS at this time. However, treatments are available that can improve the quality of life of those suffering the infection.

In traditional Chinese medicine, AIDS is considered as a disease that HIV takes advantage of transient deficiency of human body and invades, such as frequent sexual intercourse to consume vital Qi, which leads to Kidney deficiency and cannot preserve essence, the deficiency of vitality causes pathogen-evil invasion.

Acupuncture and some decoction, such as bazhen decoction, Prove it effective to treat AIDS, but there are still some problem to be conquered.

艾滋病是英语"AIDS"中文名称，AIDS是获得性免疫缺陷综合征的英文缩写。它是由于感染了人类免疫缺陷病毒（简称HIV）后引起的一种致死性传染病。HIV主要破坏人体的免疫系统，使机体逐渐丧失防卫能力而不能抵抗外界的各种病原体，因此极易感染一般健康人所不易患的感染性疾病和肿瘤，最终导致死亡。一个感染上艾滋病病毒的人，也许会在很长的一段时间内看上去或是自我感觉起来很好，但是他们却可以把病毒传染给别人。艾滋病从发现至今还不到20年，但它在全球所引起的广泛流行，已使3000多万人受到感染，1000多万人失去了生命。目前，世界上每天有万余人新感染上艾滋病病毒。不但医学界在竭尽全力研究预防治疗艾滋，各国政府，社会各阶层也都纷纷投入了对抗艾滋病的运动。但到目前为止，我们人类还没有找到一种治疗此病的方法。因此，为了自身的健康和家庭的幸福，大家都应该关注艾滋病。了解艾滋病，进而预防艾滋病。