The Effects of HIV Mutations on the Immune System.
The topic of this paper is the human immunodeficiency virus, HIV, and.
whether or not mutations undergone by the virus allow it to survive in the.
immune system. The cost of treating all persons with AIDS in 1993 in the.
United States was $7.8 billion, and it is estimated that 20,000 new cases of.
AIDS are reported every 3 months to the CDC. This question dealing with how.
HIV survives in the immune system is of critical importance, not only in the.
search for a cure for the virus and its inevitable syndrome, AIDS (Acquired.
Immunodeficiency Syndrome), but also so that over 500,000 Americans already.
infected with the virus could be saved. This is possible because if we know.
that HIV survives through mutations then we might be able to come up with a.
type of drug to retard these mutations allowing the immune system time to.
expunge it before the onset of AIDS. .
BACKGROUND.
In order to be able to fully comprehend and analyze this question we must.
first ascertain what HIV is, how the body attempts to counter the effects of.
viruses in general, and how HIV infects the body.
Definition.
HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. HIV is classified as a RNA Retrovirus.
A retrovirus uses RNA templates to produce DNA. For example, within the.
core of HIV is a double molecule of ribonucleic acid, RNA. When the virus.
invades a cell, this genetic material is replicated in the form of DNA .
But, in order to do so, HIV must first be able to produce a particular.
enzyme that can construct a DNA molecule using an RNA template. This enzyme,.
called RNA-directed DNA polymerase, is also referred to as reverse.
transcriptase because it reverses the normal cellular process of.
transcription. The DNA molecules produced by reverse transcription are then.
inserted into the genetic material of the host cell, where they are.
co-replicated with the host's chromosomes; they are thereby distributed to.
HIV/AIDS is transmitted in several ways. ... Generally, HIV is the disease that is transmitted as that is the basic form of AIDS HIV is transmitted in sexual intercourse. ... HIV cannot be transmitted through touching or kissing a HIV+ person. ... Once HIV gets into a cell, it can take over the genetic material of the cell and turn the cell into a factory of HIV producing cells. ... HIV has four stages of severity. ...
HIV discovery allows targeting of vaccines Researchers continue to make new discoveries about HIV everyday. ... A person who has been infected with HIV for many years has several different strains of HIV in their system. ... Where did the HIV virus come from? ... There are several forms of HIV. ... A less common human immunodeficiency virus is HIV-2. ...
HIV and AIDS HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a complex retrovirus that causes AIDS (Acquired ImmunoDeficiency Syndrome). ... There are currently two types of HIV: HIV-1 which is the strand of HIV that is chiefly responsible for causing AIDS worldwide and HIV-2 is a strand that is found mostly in West Africa. ... Mothers who are infected with HIV can also transmit HIV by breastfeeding their child. ... People who have the HIV antibodies are called "HIV-Positive." ... A few HIV-positive people stay healthy for many years even without taking anti-HIV medications. ...
HIV is an enveloped human retrovirus. ... HIV is a member of the retrovirus family of which there are two sub-families: HIV-1 and HIV-2. HIV-1 is more prevalent and more pathogenic than HIV-2. ... Researchers claim that chimpanzees were the source for HIV-1 and the simian virus (SIVcpz) is almost identical to HIV-1. ... In addition, HIV can mutate very easily; the HIV reverse transcriptase enzyme makes many mistakes while making DNA copies from HIV RNA. ...
The results were in - your child has HIV. ... The risk of perinatal transmission is significantly increased if the mother has advanced HIV disease, increased levels of HIV in her bloodstream, or fewer numbers of the immune system cells, CD4+ T cells, that are the main targets of HIV. ... HIV is often difficult to diagnose in very young children. ... How do you tell a child that they have HIV? ... In conclusion, HIV is real. ...
From that population, 1 out of every 5 people actually knows that they have HIV. ... It is said, "More than 50 percent of new HIV infections occur as a result of the 21 percent of people who have HIV but do not know it" (2012). ... Promoting the use of condoms is the number one way to prevent the spread of HIV. ... Evidence Many studies have been done on HIV prevention. ... They each participated in a demonstrated effective HIV prevention intervention. ...
Circumcision and HIV The parents of a newborn baby boy will make a lot of decisions for their child. ... There are also biological reasons that suggest the foreskin is especially vulnerable to HIV. ... high level of sexually transmitted disease, but a low rate of HIV. ... He also added that Europe has a low rate of circumcision and a low rate of HIV. ... HIV still appears at undesirably high rates in cities where circumcision is widely practiced. ...
The HIV/AIDS epidemic represents a major problem to the human race. ... HIV and AIDS are two stages of the same virus. ... HIV belongs for a group of viruses known as retroviruses. ... People found to possess HIV antibodies, and thus suffer from HIV, are known as "HIV Positive". ... There is no cure (or vaccine) for HIV or AIDS at present. ...
The HIV Epidemic The HIV virus, which causes AIDS, was first recognized as a new and distinct clinical entity in 1981. ... HIV like all viruses replicates inside a host cell. ... The HIV DNA is termed a "provirus." ... The third is by neutralizing the antibodies to HIV. ... The management of HIV has given many people a new lease on life. ...
HIV/AIDS What is HIV? ... How does the HIV virus work? ... How can you contract the HIV virus? The HIV virus is contracted by the exchange of body fluids. ... Some myths about contracting HIV. ...