HIV/AIDS
Katie Casella
Human Immunodeficiency Virus
Symptoms
- Fever
- Chills
- Night Sweats
- Muscle Aches
- Sore Throat
- Fatigue
- Swollen Lymph Nodes
Causes
- Infected Blood Transfusions
- Sharing Needles (generally in drug use)
- During Pregnancy
- Any Transmission of Bodily Fluids
Immune Cells Involved in Immune Response
The immune cell involved in the immune response is the T- Cell.
How the Virus Replicates
HIV can infect multiple cells in the body, including brain cells, but its main target is the CD4 lymphocyte, also known as a T-cell or CD4 cell. When a CD4 cell is infected with HIV, the virus goes through multiple steps to reproduce itself and create many more virus particles.
Treatment: How Viral Replication Can be Inhibited
The Viral Replication can be inhibited through use of multiple antivirals such as Raltegravir, Etravirine (Intelence), Zidovudine (Retrovir), Abacavir/Lamivudine (Epzicom), Stavudine (Zerit), Maraviroc, Lamivudine/Zidovudine, Tenofovir disoproxil (Viread), etc.
Prevention
To reduce your risk of HIV infection, practice protected/safe sex. Don’t inject things through needles but if you do, use only sterile injection equipment and water. Never share equipment with others.