HIV belongs to a specific subgroup of retroviruses known as lentiviruses because it can be latent for a lengthy period before serious symptoms of disease become manifest.
HIV pieder pie īpašas retrovīrusu apakšgrupas — lentivīrusiem —, kuru izraisītajai infekcijai bieži ir ilgs latentais periods, kad nenovēro nekādus jūtamus slimības simptomus.