How does HIV cause AIDS?
Ans. HIV destroys a certain kind of blood cells–CD4+ T cells (helper cells)–which are crucial to the normal function of the human immune system. In fact, loss of these cells in people with HIV is an extremely powerful predictor of the development of AIDS. Studies of thousands of people have revealed that most people infected with HIV carry the virus for years before enough damage is done to the immune system for AIDS to develop. However, recently developed sensitive tests have shown a strong connection between the amount of HIV in the blood and the decline in CD4+ T cell numbers and the development of AIDS. Reducing the amount of virus in the body with anti-HIV drugs can slow this immune destruction.
Ans .HIV destroys a certain kind of blood cells—CD4+ T cells (helper cells)—which are crucial to the normal function of the human immune system. In fact, studies have revealed that most people infected with HIV carry the virus for years before enough damage is done to the immune system for AIDS to develop. Reducing the amount of virus in the body with anti-HIV drugs can slow this immune destruction. Scientists estimate that about half the people with HIV develop AIDS within 10 years of being infected although this time varies greatly depending on factors like a person’s health status and their health-related behaviors.
HIV destroys a certain kind of blood cells–CD4+ T cells (helper cells)–which are crucial to the normal function of the human immune system. In fact, loss of these cells in people with HIV is an extremely powerful predictor of the development of AIDS. Studies of thousands of people have revealed that most people infected with HIV carry the virus for years before enough damage is done to the immune system for AIDS to develop. However, recently developed sensitive tests have shown a strong connection between the amount of HIV in the blood and the decline in CD4+ T cell numbers and the development of AIDS. Reducing the amount of virus in the body with anti-HIV drugs can slow this immune destruction.
HIV destroys CD4+ T cells that are important to the normal function of the human immune system. As the virus destroys these cells, HIV-positive people are susceptible to illnesses that generally do not affect people with healthy immune systems. According to studies including thousands of people, most HIV-positive people are infected with the virus for years before it does enough damage to the immune system to make them susceptible to AIDS-related diseases. Tests are available to measure the amount of HIV in the blood – the viral load – and those with higher viral loads are more likely to develop AIDS-related diseases and to experience a decline in their CD4+ T cells. Reducing the amount of virus in the body with antiretroviral medications can dramatically slow the destruction of a person’s immune system and the progression of illness.
HIV destroys a certain kind of blood cell (CD4+ T cells) which is crucial to the normal function of the human immune system. In fact, loss of these cells in people with HIV is an extremely powerful predictor of the development of AIDS. Studies of thousands of people have revealed that most people infected with HIV carry the virus for years before enough damage is done to the immune system for AIDS to develop. However, sensitive tests have shown a strong connection between the amount of HIV in the blood and the decline in CD4+ T cells and the development of AIDS. Reducing the amount of virus in the body with anti-retroviral therapies can dramatically slow the destruction of a persons immune system.Prior to 1996, scientists estimated that about half the people with HIV would develop AIDS within 10 years after becoming infected. This time varied greatly from person to person and depended on many factors, including a person’s health status and their health-related behaviors.
