aids hiv virus

Human immunodeficiency virus (commonly known as HIV, and formerly known as HTLV-III and lymphadenopathy-associated virus[1][2]) is a retrovirus that is the cause of the disease known as AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome), a syndrome where the immune system begins to fail, leading to many life-threatening opportunistic infections.

HIV primarily infects vital components of the human immune system such as CD4+ T cells (directly and indirectly destroying them), macrophages and dendritic cells. As CD4+ T cells are required for proper functioning of the immune system, when enough of them have been destroyed by HIV it compromises the immune system, leading to AIDS. HIV also directly attacks organs such as the kidneys, heart and brain, leading to acute renal failure, cardiomyopathy, dementia and encephalopathy. Many of the problems faced by people infected with HIV result from failure of the immune system to protect from opportunistic infections and cancers. Overview of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), the illness caused by infection with the HIV virus.

Infection with HIV occurs after the transfer of blood, semen, vaginal fluid, or breast milk from an infected person to an uninfected one. Within these body fluids HIV is carried as a free virus and in infected CD4+ T cells, dendritic cells, and macrophages. The three major routes of transmission are sexual intercourse, sharing of contaminated needles used for intravenous drug delivery and transmission from an infected mother to her baby at birth or through breast milk. In the developed world transmission through the therapeutic use of infected blood or blood products has largely been eliminated where blood products are screened routinely for the presence of HIV.

Infection in humans is now pandemic. HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) spread through sexual contact, needle sharing, labor and breast Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV Management) Medical Author (Revision): Eric S.