MODEL RELEASED. AIDS boy with impetigo. Impetigo is a bacterial skin infection that has caused open sores here. AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) is a disease caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). It causes weakening of the immune system, making the patient susceptible to opportunistic infections and making normally harmless infections life threatening. This boy received HIV during a blood transfusion, and developed AIDS-related complex (ARC), a precursor to full AIDS. In Africa, where this patient lived, lack of access to drugs and information makes AIDS a major public health concern.