HIV and AIDS is something that has been a major problem in much of the world for many years. These viruses have destroyed many families and taken the lives of many people. There are many different ways a person can get the virus. To date, there is still no cure for these horrible diseases. Until scientists and doctors can find a medicine that can cure them, many people will continue to be affected by these diseases. This research paper will analyze each virus separately to better explain what exactly they are and how they affect people based on their signs, symptoms, etc. The first virus I studied was HIV. HIV stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. To put it better, the “H” stands for human because this particular virus can only infect humans. No other animal on earth can be infected with HIV. The “I” stands for Immunodeficiency because the virus weakens the immune system. Finally, V stands for virus because it can only reproduce by taking over a cell in its host's body. HIV is very common compared to other viruses we see every day like the flu or the common cold. The main difference is that when you catch a virus like the flu, your immune system will soon be able to defeat it and you will return to health. Unfortunately, this is not the case with the HIV virus. The immune system is unable to defeat this virus, so once it enters your body you will have it for the rest of your life. However, HIV is known to hide for long periods of time. For this to happen it needs to attack certain parts of your immune system. If the HIV virus attacks T cells or CD4 cells, it will remain dormant and may hide for a long time. These cells are used to fight infections... middle of paper... being contained early enough in the process, and given proper treatment, can add decades to a person's life. HIV and AIDS are viruses that are very common in today's society and a very popular issue since the 1980s. Millions of lives could be saved if proper measures were taken to educate the less fortunate so they can learn how to prevent the transmission of these viruses to each other. It is also important to educate the youth of our society so that they know the risks and consequences that could occur if they are unsafe while performing acts that are not part of the norm. When the right measures are taken to educate and treat people affected by HIV and AIDS, millions of people can be prevented from dying from these horrible diseases. This graph shows the number of HIV infections among different races and ethnicities in the United States..