HIV/AIDS Glossary

One of the two types of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV. HIV-2 infection is endemic to West Africa. Like HIV-1, HIV-2 is transmitted through direct contact with HIV-infected body fluids, such as blood, semen, and vaginal fluids, or from a mother who has HIV-2 to her child during pregnancy, delivery, or breastfeeding/chestfeeding (feeding a child one's own milk). HIV-2 generally takes longer to progress to symptomatic HIV or AIDS than HIV-1.