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What are the causes of the AIDS pandemic?
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The primary cause of the AIDS pandemic is the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which is a retrovirus that infects and kills CD4+ T cells, a type of white blood cell. HIV is spread through sexual contact, blood transfusions, sharing needles, and from mother to child during pregnancy or delivery. Once infected with HIV, an individual has a life-long risk of developing AIDS, which can lead to death.