Frequently asked question: What happens if you do not treat HIV with medication?
The immune system of a person with HIV who does not use any medication will become increasingly weak. As a result, they can eventually contract the disease AIDS.
Without treatment, HIV breaks down your body's immune system, so you can get all kinds of infections and illnesses. If you have HIV and do not take any medication, you will eventually get AIDS, which stands for 'acquired immunodeficiency syndrome'. Acquired means contracted (you have caught it). One characteristic of AIDS is the serious infections with fungi, viruses or bacteria, which people without the HIV infection actually never get. Because your immune system is not working properly, these infections are not easy to treat, leading to people with AIDS eventually dying.