NCBI/NLM/NIH Entrez Glossary 19 May 1997

U.S. Food and Drug Administration
Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition
NCBI/NLM/NIH Glossary

acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: An acquired defect of cellular immunity associated with infection by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), a CD4-positive T-lymphocyte count under 200 cells/microliter or less than 14% of total lymphocytes, and increased susceptibility to opportunistic infections and malignant neoplasms. Clinical manifestations also include emaciation (wasting) and dementia. These elements reflect criteria for AIDS as defined by the CDC in 1993