What virus can lead to AIDS if left untreated?

The virus that can lead to AIDS if left untreated is HIV, or Human Immunodeficiency Virus. HIV targets the body’s immune system, specifically the CD4 cells (T cells), which are crucial for fighting off infections. Over time, as HIV destroys more of these cells, the immune system becomes weakened, leading to the development of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

If a person is living with HIV and does not receive medical treatment, the virus continues to replicate and can progress to AIDS, where the body can no longer fight off opportunistic infections and certain cancers, resulting in severe health consequences. Treatment with antiretroviral therapy (ART) can help manage the virus, prevent the progression to AIDS, and enable individuals to live longer, healthier lives.

The other viruses mentioned have different implications for health but do not lead to AIDS. Hepatitis B primarily affects the liver, syphilis is a bacterial infection that affects multiple systems but does not specifically lead to AIDS, and herpes simplex virus causes sores but does not directly compromise the immune system to the extent that HIV does.