Aids is becoming so widespread The disease called aids is becoming very widespread in the United States. The question is why. In the following paragraphs the answers to this question will be answered. Aids is the final, life-threatening stage of infection with human immuondeficiency virus (HIV). Aids stands for Acquired immunodeficiency virus syndrome. The name refers to the fact that HIV severely damages the patient's disease fighting immune system. Cases of AIDS were first identified in 1981 in the United States, but researchers have traced cases to as early as 1959. HIV can be present in the body for two to twelve or more years without pro