AIDS and HIV are two separate and distinct viral diseases. Is this statement true or false?

HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome) are closely related, but they represent different stages of a condition rather than two distinct diseases. HIV is the virus that causes the infection, while AIDS is the condition that may develop as a result of this infection if it's not treated.

When a person becomes infected with HIV, the virus attacks the immune system, specifically targeting CD4 cells, which are crucial for immune response. Over time, if the infection is left untreated, HIV can lead to a significant decline in the number of these cells, resulting in a severely weakened immune system. When the immune system becomes compromised to such a degree that the person develops certain opportunistic infections or cancers, they are then diagnosed with AIDS.

This distinction clarifies that while HIV and AIDS are related, they refer to different aspects of the same disease process: HIV is the virus, and AIDS is the medical condition that results from the virus's damaging effects on the body. This interconnection confirms that the statement is false, as the two are not separate and distinct diseases.