HIV Infection

In the early 1980s when the HIV/AIDS epidemic began, people with AIDS were not likely to live longer than a few years. With the development of safe and effective drugs, however, people infected with HIV now have longer and healthier lives.


The discovery and development of new therapeutic strategies against HIV is a high priority for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). Research supported by NIAID has already greatly advanced our understanding of HIV and how it causes disease.

This knowledge provides the foundation for NIAID's HIV/AIDS research effort and continues to support studies designed to further extend and improve the quality of life of those infected with HIV.