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HIV is from the family retroviruses, specifically a lentivirus. It contains RNA instead of DNA. HIV inserts its RNA into the CD4 cell (T-cell) and converts RNA into DNA. HIV then insets this DNA into human genes and HIV production begins. The now infected CD4 cell becomes an HIV producing factory. Once the newly produced HIV viruses are released into the bloodstream, the immune system produces antibodies to the virus. The antibody production may take from two weeks to nearly six months to develop and thus be detected by testing.

The immune system attempts to fight the virus, but the very cells that are responsible for protecting the body from infection, are the cells that the HIV virus attaches to and eventually destroys. The CD4 count begins to drop, and when the numbers reach a critical low, (200), the immune system is compromised. The body is then vulnerable to opportunistic infections. With two opportunistic infections and a CD4 count of 200, the diagnosis of AIDS is given.

As with all viral infections, there is a commonality of symptoms which can add to the difficulty in recognizing and diagnosing the infection. The symptoms may include: fever and chills, swollen lymph nodes, a sore throat, sores in the mouth and rash on the torso, fatigue, weight loss, muscle aches and headaches, pain in the hands and feet, joint pain, night sweats, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.