Most people with HIV probably will have the virus in their body when they die since there is currently no way to get rid of it. Whether or not HIV will be what causes someone's death, however, is not always clear. What many people want to know is whether it is possible to get HIV and have a normal, relatively healthy life. HIV is often thought of as an incurable, fatal illness, and it certainly can be--especially after a person's immune system is weakened to the point that he or she has AIDS. Without treatment, most people with HIV will eventually develop AIDS and die. When someone dies of AIDS, it is usually because of an opportunistic infection or other long-term effect of having HIV. Since 1996, improved treatments have given renewed hope to many HIV-positive people. While the treatments are not a cure, and are far from perfect, they may help to keep people with HIV healthy for a long time. How long? No one knows, really. Some people may do very well for many, many years. Others may eventually get sick and die despite being treated. Recent studies suggest that people who take the treatments can gain, on average, 24 extra years of life. There is a great need for research to find new and better treatments for HIV.
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