Is there such thing as animal AIDS?

Question

I have a friend that insists that animals can get AIDS, and spread them to other animals, and also if they come in contact with a human that is infected with the HIV virus than they will become infected. I think they do have a virus called Rabies, but not AIDS. I don't think this is true, and I wanted some confirmation on this topic.

Answer 1

Animals can not suffer from AIDS.

Although it is possible for any animal to suffer from illnesses that suppress the immune system; AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) is caused by a severe (or late stage) HIV (HUMAN Immunodeficiency Virus) infection, which only affects humans.

Feline and Simian AIDS

FIV and SIV are viruses in the same genus as HIV. FIV stands for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus, and SIV for Simian Immunodeficiency Virus. Both viruses cause similar AIDS-like diseases in their respective species. In SIV's natural host, however, the virus is not very pathogenic; it is pathogenic in other primate species. FIV cannot infect humans; SIV, however, can infect humans, and can affect the immune system in a similar way. HIV entered the human race (on several different occasions) as an SIV infection, after which it rapidly adapted to humans and became a distinct species.